Change of Heart
by RikaAltraz
Summary: When Zevran's life is spared by the kindness of the Warden, he questions his own reason in life. Is he just a killer for hire, or can he be a companion who protects his loved ones too? And is the Warden crazy or just very trusting and hopeful? Hell, how should he know, but he'll do his best to keep her alive to figure it out for himself. If he doesn't lose his head over her.
1. Chapter 1

AN: So, I had this finished for a bit, but was working on the second part which I decided to put up at the same time since it might make a bit more sense to do that. Also, I've been working on some other things, so that has taken a bit out of my time. I really liked playing this game and just had to do a story for it. I just kind of love Zevran, he never gets enough from anyone I know (they all kill him off when you get the chance when he attacks in the beginning of the game...). Plus, he's just awesome! Seriously.

* * *

Change of Heart

When I first agreed to take this mission, I never expected to come to this end.

The sword hovering at my throat was not shaking, perfectly steady in the hand of the man holding it.

He looked battle hardened and defensive, as expected.

The arrow trained on me from the longbow in the hands of the woman to my back didn't faze me in the least.

She wouldn't fire until ordered.

The crackle of ready magic in the hands of the scantily clad witch behind the armored man held no hold to me.

I had never feared magic itself, only the users.

And the Quinari holding the huge axe didn't make me flinch.

Not even the Mabari warhound snarling by its master made me blink.

No, none of that terrified me.

Not even knowing that these people and dog had killed the hired mercenaries Loghain applied with me. The Mage had been swiftly dealt with by the obviously more powerful one of her group.

I stared up from my position on the ground at those piercing gray eyes.

Like steel when I had come at her earlier, but her partner had rushed me first and threw me to the ground.

He likely would have killed me then as I'd anticipated had one of my hires not attacked and distracted him from my incapacitated self.

Now, those gray eyes were softer as she stared at me, kneeling just within range if I lashed out.

"Will you be killing me then?" I cracked out.

My tone sounded so jovial. Like I was joking about them killing me.

It wasn't a chance, it was a certainty that they would do it.

After all, who let an assassin live?

Even a failed one.

"No. I think...there is something else to do with you."

"Oh, torture is it then? I'll save you the trouble." I felt my lips tilt into a smile even as my blood rushed in fear.

Never had I feared torture. But at her hands, I might very well bare my soul.

"You'll betray your employer?" She frowned, those delicate brown brows coming together slightly.

"A Crow who fails as I have is already assumed to have betrayed them. Therefore I am a dead man no matter what."

She smiled faintly.

"Well, that would be a waste, wouldn't it?"

I stayed silent.

"You're serious aren't you?" The man asked as he lowered his sword. "Gods I thought you were kidding."

I heard the arrow being removed from the string and quivered.

That static of magic dissipated.

"I know you were sent by Loghain. You're to kill Alistair and myself. And no one was ever to see us again."

I nodded.

"Obviously that was a failure." I said. "I suppose you can do with me what you will then."

She moved to stand back up, that lithe body moving under the hard leather armor.

"It's settled then. You'll come with me."

I blinked up at her. "You'd accept someone like me?"

"I'd rather have you watching my back than stabbing me in it, so yes. I'll call a truce with you and deal with your employer. If you no longer have an employer, then you have no reason to kill me, right?" She stepped back and the rest gathered the packs they had dropped to fight.

I moved to sit up.

She was insane.

Bloody insane.

And beautiful.

I pushed myself to stand, rolling my shoulder where I had hit the ground.

She leaned to pick up her pack and I sighed.

Some assassin.

I couldn't even die properly.

But I suppose if I had to be in a debt to anyone, I'd prefer someone like her.

Eclectic and kind, but ruthless and cunning.

"So, you should like to know your new team. Morrigan is the Mage." She motioned to the dark haired woman. "Lelianna is our archer, bard, and rogue on occasion." I glanced at the woman putting her pack over her shoulders with the bow loosely clipped to it. "Alistair is my fellow Grey Warden and a former Templar." I watched him grumble as he slung his pack over his shoulder. "The quiet one is Sten." She motioned to the man carrying the axe. She reached to pet the warhound. "And this is Fenrir, my Mabari."

I nodded.

"And I am Rykah." She held out her hand.

I hesitated as I took it gently.

It was somewhat surprising to see a woman shorter than myself.

Granted I was taller than most elves, but I usually stood on par with most women. Just short to human men. Alistair stood several inches taller than me.

"Zevran." I said.

xXx

I kept assuming that they would kill me as I walked several paces behind Rykah.

The hound kept mostly to his masters side, but as the day wore on he fell back in step with me.

I kept my hands to my sides, away from the short dagger holstered to my hip. Nonthreatening.

He gave a soft growl and then huffed before bumping my left leg with his bulky body.

I wasn't prepared for it and stumbled slightly to the right, quickly catching myself and steadying to not fall over. There was much more muscle to that beast than it looked.

He huffed again and caught up with Alistair in front of the group.

He gave a sharp bark and dashed to the side of the road.

I watched Alistair turn to follow, but not drawing his sword.

Rykah fell back in step with me as the others followed Alistair and Fenrir as well.

"Fen is our scout. He finds the best places to camp for the night before it gets too dark. We're heading to Redcliff, but we won't make it tonight. Hope you have a tent in that bag of yours."

I nodded. "I always travel light, but prepared."

xXx

Camp was nothing more than a safe shelter from the road.

Alistair and Sten gathered firewood while Lelianna and Fenrir went down to the stream nearby to collect water.

I watched Morrigan set up a bit away from the rest.

Rykah began to set up her tent and I pulled the small pack from my shoulder.

The weather here was colder than in Antiva, but I had found a quality simple tent. I wouldn't need more than the thick blanket tonight though, considering I didn't plan to really sleep.

I set my bag down.

"Hey, Zevran, can you help me real quick?" Rykah spoke up.

I moved away from my pack as she pulled out the cloth that went over the frame set up.

Her tent reminded me of the kind fancier people used.

I took hold of the opposite side from her and tossed it over with her.

As I helped her stake the corners down, her dog came to climb through the opening.

"Fen, get out of there." She laughed.

It was a soft laugh.

I started to head back for my pack.

"Thank you Zevran." She said.

"Of course." I gave her a cheerful grin.

xXx

"Can I ask you a question?"

I looked up from my spot away from the fire as Rykah sat beside me.

"Entirely so. You may." I looked at the fire.

"Why did you accept a mission like that?"

"To kill you? Because I was the only volunteer. We all know that to go after a Grey Warden is to ask for death."

"You...want to die?"

"Perhaps." I shrugged.

I had intended it, yes.

"I...don't want you to die."

I was startled by her admission.

I looked at her.

"I think you are a good man Zevran, and to lose a good man is a bad thing."

I scoffed. "I am a killer."

"True, but somehow, I guess that doesn't seem to bother me."

"I could kill you still." I pointed out.

She huddled against the cold and I shifted away from the mass of my blanket to put it around her shoulders and scoot a bit closer.

"I know. But I also have faith you won't. Call it crazy, but there is just something telling me that you're not who everyone thinks of you as."

I laughed. "And you'd believe that?"

She nodded.

"Like I said before, killing you would be a waste." She said.

I stayed quiet.

"Anyway, I just wanted to see why you took that job." She moved to stand up and I snagged her wrist.

She looked down at me with those beautiful gray eyes.

"I suppose I do owe you my life. If you want it that is?"

She gave me a soft look.

"You're free to me Zevran. I won't bind you to me."

She made to leave and I let her.

xXx

Fighting the walking dead at Redcliff was certainly something new.

I watched Rykah handle herself perfectly.

That lean form and nimble grace served her well. Even against the stronger corpses.

I caught sight of a pair heading for her back.

My feet seemed to move on their own as I went to intercept.

I cut them down before she stumbled back into me.

As I turned, the corpse she had been fighting swung the staff at her.

I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and turned to put myself between her and the wood.

My shoulder burned as the staff cracked over it, but she pushed forward and decapitated the corpse before it could swing the fractured wood again.

The others finished the rest off as the sun was rising.

I winced as I sheathed my double short swords at my back.

Rykah caught the look of pain before I could school it.

"Are you alright Zev?" She asked.

"Just fine." I mumbled.

We had talked along our trip from where we made camp to Redcliff. After a second night of camping, where she had asked a few more questions and I admitted to slightly enjoying the sense of peace around her.

She had given me leave to return to Anitva, but it just didn't feel right.

Having her back, that felt right.

She reached to touch my shoulder and I pulled away.

Her hand fell back to her side.

"Thank you Zev. I...guess I thought I could handle it."

"I'm sure you would have if I hadn't been in your way." I said.

"No, you saved me from those other two. You weren't in the way...I just didn't expect you there. At my back I mean." She said.

I laughed. "You should. Because I'll be there."

It just kind of slipped out.

She blushed slightly and nodded before walking to join the others congratulating the victory with no losses.

xXx

Her quick thinking was amazing.

Sneaking in through the dungeon, letting in the Bann's men, and then outwitting the Demon.

Lady Isolde had been prepared to lay down her life to save her son.

The Blood Magic had done its job, and as a miracle, the Lady survived on the edge of death.

The healing Mage said that the Arl could not be helped any more, so he would focus on healing the Arl's young wife instead, but there was little hope in her recovery any time soon.

The boy had been quiet ever since Morrigan drove off the Demon from him.

Rykah had saved just about everyone she could.

It made me feel a bit humble.

To her, sparing my life was probably just a part of her personal philosophy.

We camped as we stopped our journey to find the Brother Genitivi who was searching for the Urn of Sacred Ashes.

We were heading towards Denerim. Hopefully we could avoid an encounter with Loghain's men.

I sat by the fire and looked up as she came to sit beside me.

"So do you stare at everyone like that?"

I hadn't even noticed I was staring at her.

"When something catches my eye, absolutely. Does that bother you?"

She sighed.

"Not really, no."

"I suppose I could be a gentleman and not look at you." I said with a half smile.

In truth, she was very easy to look at.

"A gentleman? That's too bad."

I paused a moment to look at the cheeky smile she had.

"Or I could keep my eyes on you all the time."

She started to get back up as Alistair called out her name.

"I'll stare back."

She turned away before I could respond.

I sighed as I watched her walk to where Alister wanted her help in wrapping his hand from the cut he'd taken to the back of it the other day at Redcliff.

The Mage had just said it wasn't bad enough to deserve healing. It was just a cut and if kept clean, it would heal fine.

I moved towards the tree I had placed my pack beside and pulled out my blanket to wrap myself in it before leaning against the tree.

Even if Rykah was being flirty, it didn't mean she was interested.

She obviously treated everyone as a friend.

Even Morrigan.

xXx

"Zevran?"

I turned to look at Rykah as I stood up from the fire.

"Yes?"

She had made some flirty comments during travel today, and during the fight with common roadside bandits she had nearly gotten hurt until I stepped in.

It made Alistair fall back to question why I was still with them.

I told him my intention was only to be by her side as long as she wanted me to be there.

He said he still didn't trust me and he'd be watching me.

I looked down as she seemed almost nervous.

It wasn't her stance, but the way she averted her eyes from mine that told me.

"Care to join me in my tent?"

I felt a little happy inside. She trusted me enough to allow me so close.

No one had ever trusted me that much.

"Is there something in there that needs assassinating? I'm told that is my specialty."

She cracked a tiny smile. "I'm sure you're good at other things too."

"And is it one of these other things you would like me to do?"

She blushed slightly, but it was nearly invisible in the light of the fire.

"Can you...just come?"

I nodded.

I caught sight as Alistair looked at us heading for her tent.

She had planned this.

I had wondered why she put her tent up away from the others.

Normally only Morrigan did that.

It was just far enough that if she made a soft noise, it wouldn't be heard.

But if she screamed, I was pretty sure all hell would come down on that tent.

They might think I was killing her.

I followed her as she climbed into her tent.

The bedroll she had spread out was much more plush than mine as I dropped to my knees on it.

"What brought this on?"

"I...I like you Zev. More than I suppose I should. All things considered." She looked at me.

I was somewhat floored by her admittance.

"Right, because I'm an elf assassin." I started to get up.

"I don't care about that though Zev. You're different."

I sighed. "And you are still a noble, despite being a Grey Warden."

She scoffed. "I don't want to be. I...rather like traveling like this. I like the freedom."

"People will still look at you strangely if you choose to be in any kind of relation with me." I mumbled.

She reached out to grip my collar.

"And I'm saying that their opinions can go to hell." She pulled me down.

Her lips met mine.

I felt her hands slip down to tug open the leather coat I wore as armor.

Since meeting her, I'd found that being mobile was very important. I'd intended to die that day, so I hadn't worn my usual armor.

This coat was a start at finding something to replace the gear I'd left in Antiva.

Her nimble fingers were shaking as she undid the ties holding it together.

I kissed her quite thoroughly, enough to have her closing her eyes, as she pushed the coat off my shoulders.

I shrugged it off and tossed it to the side as my left hand moved to tangle in her hair.

It was just long enough to get a hold in, but not long enough to be unsuitable for battle.

Much like my own actually.

I pulled away as I moved my hands to tug at the shirt she wore.

Her armor had come off before she ever put up her tent earlier.

She looked up at me as I stripped her down.

Her cheeks held a flush on them that was beautiful.

Stunning even.

"Have you done this before?" I asked.

"No...I never found someone I even liked at Highever."

I started to pull away.

I wasn't sure how to explain it, but I really didn't want to be used as an experiment.

As a one-night-stand because I seduced her, that was one thing, but she was different from my previous targets.

One, I had failed to kill her.

Two, I hadn't seduced her.

"Zev?"

"Tell me this isn't an excuse for you to be rebellious." I said.

She frowned. "No, I...I just...I wanted." She blushed as she sat up.

I felt hard as I looked over her body, nearly bare to my sight.

She had such gorgeous skin, unmarked from her fighting.

And if I had my way, it would stay like that.

She reached for my soft cotton shirt.

"I do want you Zev. Tonight. I don't want to be alone anymore."

I sighed.

Neither did I.

The thought hit me hard, but I pushed it aside as she tugged my shirt over my head, revealing the tattoos I'd gotten in Antiva.

Simple, elegant lines accentuating the planes of my body.

It was a seduction thing that very few Crows had been willing to work to get. Only the best of us ever earned them.

They worked on Rykah as well.

Her fingers traced over the ones on my sides.

I eased my pants off as I urged her back onto the soft bedroll.

It was going to take considerable skill to ensure she felt no pain when I took her.

But as I worked, she was putty in my hands.

She responded to my every touch and kiss.

I claimed her mouth again as I felt her fall into that wonderful bliss for the first time.

I guided myself into her and slid fully in.

She winced briefly, but made no real show of pain.

But damn she was tight.

Her arms wrapped around my neck and her left hand tangled in my hair, careful to avoid the braids tying my hair back.

I wouldn't have cared if she undid them, but it was time consuming to have to work the two longer lengths back into their braids.

Rykah made a soft moan as I began to move and I took her mouth again to keep her quiet.

Her right hand scraped over my back and her left fell to join it, leaving marks over both my shoulder blades.

Her fingers tightened on my shoulders as I could feel her easing over the edge.

I kept my left arm braced beside her head to keep myself mostly up as my right hand moved between us and I rubbed the pad of my thumb over the tiny bundle of nerves just above where we were joined.

She tried to pull away and cry out, but I couldn't let her.

No matter how much I wanted to hear my name on her lips.

When she came down from that high, I started to pull away.

"Fill me Zev." She whispered.

I saw the blush accompany her words.

"As you command." I ground out.

It only took her permission before I pushed deeper into her.

I growled her name as I came in her.

It wasn't something I ever did, but if she wanted me to, I would.

For some reason, I couldn't deny her.

xXx

I finished putting my coat back on as she pulled her clothing on.

Was she ashamed now that we were done?

She hadn't spoken since her plea for me to come in her.

I opened her tent and stepped out, tapping the toe of my boot on the ground to settle it right.

Fenrir looked up from the fire as I came from her tent, but didn't attack me.

I started to head for my pack and my blanket when I felt her tiny hand catch my wrist.

"Is this...a one time thing?" She asked.

I shrugged.

"I'll do what you want. It is entirely up to you." I faced her.

She looked up at me.

"I'd like to be with you again." She said. "You're...special Zev. Very special."

I gave her a soft smile.

"As are you my Grey Warden."

I turned to go for my bag.

"Zev, please call me Rykah. I don't want you to think of me just as a Warden."

I looked at her again.

"I don't Rykah. Goodnight."

She smiled before turning to go back in her tent.

She made a motion with her hand and her Mabari came to her.

She always let the dog sleep beside her bedroll, as extra protection.

I grabbed my blanket and sat beside the fire, settling in to sleep with the heat.

xXx

As we came into Denerim, I was prepared for the worst.

I wasn't settled until we found the house and talked to the man who assisted the Brother.

And even then, I didn't relax again until we made camp several miles for the city.

Alistair complained that we could have had warm beds in the city, but I didn't trust those beds.

Rykah had taken my whispered comment to heart and got out as quickly as possible.

I wrapped myself in my blanket as I watched Rykah climb in her tent.

She caught my eyes and tilted her head in invitation.

I shook mine.

I wanted to take a watch in case other Crows had seen us in Denerim.

xXx

We made it to the inn that the Brother had supposedly stayed at and got into a brief scuffle with some bounty hunters.

Apparently Loghain had indeed heard about my failure and decided to send regular hunters from Ferelden.

I couldn't blame him.

But this country had no real hunters like the Crows or even the old Dalish.

They went down quite pitifully.

I noticed Rykah never killed.

Wild animals, yes. Humans or elves or anything sentient, no.

Alistair and the others, myself included, seemed to have no issue with making sure our attackers could never come after anyone again.

I separated her from the group as they discussed going to the Tower to address the Mages about the Treaties.

She had already said she wanted to do it. Alistair was convincing everyone else it was a good idea.

I made her look at me as we partially hid in the shadow of the tree by the old bridge.

"What is the matter Rykah?"

"It's just...why do people throw away their lives to hunt us? Me? I just...hate the killing."

I sighed. "These people usually will do anything for money. Including kill you."

She scoffed. "You were going to kill me for money, but I didn't kill you."

I grinned as I tugged her closer as she shivered. Probably from the nerves wearing off.

"For which I'm grateful. No amount of coin would be worth killing you. And I see that now."

I felt her lean against me and she smiled.

"I just thought, I couldn't bear to see pointless killing. And killing you would have been a real waste." Her fingers gripped my blood splattered coat.

Only a few drops had hit me, but it would need to be cleaned up.

"You don't have to kill if you don't want to Rykah. I'll do it for you as needed."

She looked up at me.

"Please don't kill if it isn't required."

"Severe maiming?" I raised a brow.

"Let them at least be able to work a farm, even if they'll never hold a sword again." She sighed.

A workable tradeoff.

It might take some getting used to though.

"Oi, come on." Alistair shouted.

Rykah wrapped her arms around herself.

"How do you get used to it Zev?"

"The killing? Put it in your mind that it is either them or you. Self preservation does the rest." I shrugged.

She shuddered.

Her soft nature wasn't because she was a woman. She was brutal in a fight, and had Alistair or I not killed the men aiming to hurt her, they surely never would have been able to fight again.

She just didn't believe in killing.

It was admirable, if foolish.

I followed her down to the dock to join the others.

The Templar held up his hand.

I laughed inside.

Surely he didn't think he'd be able to stop her as she stood steady in front of him.

Our fearless little leader with the big heart.

xXx

The circle was a mess.

The Templars had sealed everything off from the main room.

Rykah convinced them to let us go in and they closed the doors behind us.

It was a simple matter getting to the survivors.

Granted, they looked at me rather like I'd expected when Rykah introduced me as an Antivan Crow.

With fear and disgust.

I ignored it as we headed further in the tower to find anyone else.

Each floor looked progressively worse as we fought past Abominations and deluded Templars who we all kind of just knocked out and incapacitated.

I kept watching Lelianna tie them up with the cords and rope she found in the debris.

Rykah had strictly ordered us to not kill them. It was just the Demons.

We fought a couple of those before we made it to the fourth floor.

Wynne was an able magic user, and watching her get flustered over my lewd comments was surprisingly amusing. Even Rykah and Alistair cracked a laugh once or twice.

Morrigan just kind of made an amused expression, and the other two were in a kind of 'good grief' mindset. Fenrir couldn't care less as he chewed on a bone from a raised corpse.

As we climbed to the fourth floor and opened the doors to the central room, I was assaulted by the most putrid smell.

Worse than the corpses.

We came in contact with the Sloth Demon.

It spoke and I could see the crackling aura of magic as it tried to put us under.

"Is this some ploy to get me to lower my guard?" I cracked.

Alistair made a comment of feeling sick and it upped the level.

I felt weak for a moment as I pushed past Alistair as he collapsed.

I watched with blurry vision as Rykah started to go under finally.

I pushed forward and reached out, feeling her in my arms as I dropped.

But I wasn't about to let her hit the floor like that.

I watched the Sloth Demon stare at us amusedly before blacking out.

xXx

"Zevran!"

I heard her sweet voice in my torture memory.

Inside, I knew this was a memory, but it just felt so real as they chained me down.

"Zevran, please, you're already a Crow."

I blinked and the vision faded for a moment.

"Zev, I need you to fight with me. Please."

I struggled as I heard her draw her sword.

No, she couldn't fight two Crows at once.

I willed myself to push away the nightmare.

Suddenly she was standing beside the table.

"Zev, please come back to me. I need you here."

I nodded and looked up at her.

The illusion faded and I stumbled slightly as I stood in front of her.

"Was that...a memory from your training?" She asked as she gripped my coat.

"Yes, all Crows go through torture to prove our resistance. Those who can't resist..." I didn't finish.

I leaned down to kiss her.

"Thank you." I said. "Really. I...I fell into it so easily..."

She shook her head and put her cheek over my shoulder.

"No...I almost gave in to my own fantasy too...it would have been too easy." She admitted.

She pushed away.

"I have to stop this Demon."

I nodded.

I stepped to follow her but felt a burning sensation all over my body.

I barely had time to question what was happening before she vanished.

Well, I vanished from her.

I was whipped into a different fantasy.

Only, this one was too exaggerated, even for me.

Seriously, even I didn't really want to partake in any orgy.

I mentioned it, but never wanted it.

xXx

Fighting the Sloth Demon at Rykah's side was satisfying.

Knowing how hard she had fought for us all, while none of us tried to free ourselves, it was humiliating.

Freedom was even better.

I woke up with her in my arms. Something about that just felt right.

She pushed to her feet before the others came to and I felt a bit of a loss.

She reached to take a scroll from the body on the floor.

We didn't talk as she directed everyone to check themselves.

I didn't bother.

I knew I was changed, but not magically.

I...couldn't quite say why being with her just felt so right.

I pushed it aside as we continued on.

As we came to a trapped Templar, I frowned.

"They left one alive? It could be a trap." I said.

Alistair nodded.

The man was delirious.

Probably suffering from Lycium withdrawal.

It was a common symptom during something like this.

They had probably forced it on the poor guy and over the past few days he'd become addicted and now was suffering for it.

Rykah moved to go and confront the source of this huge problem.

xXx

I was so proud of her.

She had actually considered the thought of killing all the mages in that room for a moment, but she resisted, still believing that there were some to save.

I felt no hint of remorse driving my blade through the heart of the monster who had started this mess.

We led the survivors down and Wynne and Irving used their magic to open the doors.

The Templars collectively sighed in relief as Irving told them the Circle had been reclaimed.

The doors were closed and I watched a couple Templars herd the ones we'd freed from the Demons captivating them into a side room to be examined individually for changes.

Cullen was taken into a separate room after he'd made his statement that all Mages were hell.

I couldn't argue, but he hadn't been under the right mindset either. Wynne was good people after all.

Rykah secured the force of the Circle for when she finally faced the Archdemon.

As we sailed back across the lake with a new member on our side, I felt her lean against me in the boat.

I started to speak, but the sound of her even breathing caught the attention of both me and Alistair.

"I guess she did do most of the work with that Sloth Demon." Alistair whispered.

Everyone was as quiet as could be as we docked.

Alistair took both our bags as I carefully scooped her up.

She didn't even wake as I climbed to the dock and we headed for the Spoiled Princess.

The young Templar hurried ahead of us to clear rooms of the Inn.

I looked at Alistair as we headed for the door last.

"I'll stay with her tonight, with Fenrir." I said. He started to speak. "I just want to make sure she doesn't have nightmares from that Demon still."

He sighed. "I suppose you're right. She fought so hard it might have scarred her inside."

I nodded and he held the door for me.

I carried her to the room the Innkeepers wife directed me to and Alistair put our bags just inside the door to the small room.

She didn't wake as I laid her on the bed after checking it over.

It wasn't the softest stuffed mat, but it was better than the floor.

I moved to her bag and unclipped her bedroll.

She would need the comfort after today.

I eased her up as Fenrir laid on the floor at the foot of the bed.

I laid her bedroll out over the mattress and settled her on it.

It took me a second to realize I had also left the blanket under it too.

I worked to pull her armor off while she was still uncovered and neatly set it on the small desk.

I sighed as I pulled my warmer blanket from my bag and tucked her in with it.

I shrugged my coat off and laid it over the back of the chair before kicking my boots off and easing her over a little to lay beside her.

I let the candle burn out as I settled on top of my blanket.

xXx

I woke to the feel of cold hands on my waist.

I took a jolting breath and automatically reached for the knife clipped to my right hip before I realized it was Rykah.

I blinked at the setting moon in the window and looked down at her.

She shivered even under my blanket and I edged in with her.

I pulled her into my arms and she stopped shivering as her fingers warmed against my skin.

Rykah sighed against my collar and I held her close.

She hadn't woken up still.

Hopefully she would by morning.

xXx

The humming woke me up this time.

I turned to my side and looked at where Rykah was sitting at the desk, properly cleaning her armor.

"What time is it?" I mumbled.

"Almost sunrise. The others are sleeping in. Except Sten. He's been helping the owner chop wood for nearly an hour now, since we weren't allowed to pay last night apparently." She said.

I nodded. "We did kind of save the whole tower because of you."

She sighed. "I still would like to pay for using the rooms."

I sat up and reached for my boots.

I pulled the one on, but the other was a bit farther than I could reach.

Just as I was getting to get up, Fenrir took it up in his mouth and brought it to me.

"Ugh, drool." I grumbled. I patted him anyway and wiped the side of my boot off on the already stained fabric of the blanket from the Inn.

I pulled my boot on and stood up to stretch.

"So...tell me about Antiva." Rykah said.

I frowned.

I turned to grab my blanket and fold it tightly.

"Not much to say. It's a busy place, plenty of work for me, but it's home."

"And you miss it." She looked down at her hands where she was rubbing a tiny bit of oil into the leather in her small hands and I realized it was my coat she was working on.

I sighed as I went to tightly roll her bedroll and put it back.

"I guess I do. I grew up in a whorehouse before I was sold to the Crows, but to me it will always be the place I came from."

"A whorehouse?"

"It's a longer story than I'd care for right now." I shrugged. "Perhaps one of these nights I will tell you."

She nodded and finished working with my coat.

It smelled of fresh leather oil.

I took it and put it on, bringing the collar to my face to breathe in the scent of clean oiled leather.

"What do you miss the most?"

I thought for a moment.

"My gear mostly. And some things I wish I had bought before I left. I had such a nice set of loose plate armor. It was custom made for me as a Crow. Protective while still providing the quiet and maneuverability I needed. But I do miss having not bought the boots I wanted."

She raised a brow at me. "Boots?"

"Yes, quality Antivan Leather boots with a soft fur lining. Nothing quite like them here. They would have cost a pretty sum, but I had wanted to buy them when I finished here. Before I got here and decided that I wasn't going to finish." I said.

"Zev...do you still want to die?" She asked quietly.

I sighed and moved to kneel beside her and take her hands.

"My dear Warden, if I died, who would watch your back so completely?" I gave her a grin.

She smiled, but it didn't touch her eyes.

Was she doubting that I would stay around?

Was she thinking I would put myself in danger to be rid of them all?

"I'm sorry Zev." She mumbled.

I reached to touch her cheek. "For what?"

"I almost got you all killed." She blinked away tears.

I pulled her closer to me and she leaned forward to put her face against my neck.

"Nonsense Rykah. We chose to follow you. I will follow you until you tell me to leave."

"I'll never say that." She mumbled against my throat.

I sighed.

Good. Because I wasn't sure if I could even force myself to leave her.

I started to get up after a minute.

"Come now, we should be getting on the road again." I said.

She nodded and stood up.

I watched her put her armor on as I pulled my backpack over my shoulder.

I held hers out and she slung it over her shoulder carefully before leading the way out of the room.

xXx

I didn't want to question her decision to make a detour to gain the forces of the Dalish Hunters as we headed back towards Denerim.

As she walked beside me, she asked about my past, missions I'd done as a Crow, things I'd learned as a boy, about my Dalish mother.

I told her I'd once had a pair of gloves from my mother until the Crows found out and burned them in front of me, forcing me to accept that to the world I had no past. I was nothing more than an expendable Crow.

I watched some of the Dalish in the camp as Rykah talked with the leader.

She didn't introduce me to them as anything more than her 'friend, Zevran' this time.

They could tell I was an elf already, but they didn't need to look at me with fear at the assassin part.

She had learned her lesson.

We headed into the forest and I watched the way she fought against the wolves and negotiated with the werewolves.

As we came to the old ruins, she decided we should head back to the Dalish camp to prepare to speak to the werewolves in the morning.

I couldn't argue, but the less I was here, the better.

These customs made me uneasy.

I got a glare from the elder earlier just because I stood close to Rykah. Too close for their acceptable custom.

We set our camp up just in a clearing outside theirs.

Rykah wandered off to talk to one of the Dalish craftsmen and I sighed as Alistair sat beside me at the fire we'd built.

"So, are you planning on doing what is right for her?" He asked.

I raised a brow at him.

"I mean...I can see she cares a lot about you. From the go she seemed to think you were important. Maybe the Maker whispers to her, because she seems to know just how to get to people. Look, all I want is to know that you aren't going to break her heart." He explained.

I shrugged. "I don't intend to hurt her. Whatever we have is being set by her. I will not leave unless she says for me to go, but neither will I take things further than she pushes. I want her to set her own pace. As I understand, you take a bit of her brothers place to her and she respects your decisions too. If you tell her I'm a hazard and need to leave, she might listen."

"I...I'm not going to say that to her. I know now that you're not out to kill her. Or me. I've watched you cover her back when she doesn't even notice the enemies behind her. You...you're a good man Zevran, despite your occupation." He started to stand up and I smiled.

"You're a good man too Alistair. So just remember that if you hurt her, I do know how to make you pay for it."

He scoffed. "Truce Arainai."

"Truce." I nodded as he turned to leave.

I sat in front of the fire for another ten minutes before I heard footsteps behind me.

I didn't flinch as she dropped to her knees behind me.

She held her hand over my eyes.

"Rykah, you know I can tell your touch right?" I mumbled.

She leaned against my back.

"I know." She whispered. "Hold your hands out flat."

I did and felt a bit of fabric in my hands.

She uncovered my eyes and draped herself over my shoulders with her arms crossed over my collarbone.

I looked down at what she had put in my hands.

The material was different, and heavier quality, and it had a soft lining, but these were Dalish gloves similar to the kind my mother had given me.

"I...I found them in the woods in one of those broken chests. They were a bit filthy and the hem of the right glove needed to be fixed, but the older man who does the crafts around here helped me fix them up." She said.

I felt the soft hide and the careful stitching before pulling them on.

They fit perfectly.

And they were so very comfortable.

I reached up to take her hand and kissed her palm.

"Thank you." I said softly. "They aren't like my mothers, but these are even better." I could almost feel her start to feel bad. She had been trying to replace the ones the Crows took from me? "I do love them Rykah. Mostly because you put so much work into fixing them. Partly just because you gave them to me." She sighed. "No one is ever going to take these from me."

"Good." She said.

I swear I was pretty much gone for her.

She buried her face in the collar of my coat.

"Will you...join me tonight? I miss you." She mumbled.

I nodded. I hadn't been with her sexually since the night I was her first.

Hell I hadn't been with anyone since meeting her.

She was...special. Special enough that as long as she wanted me, I owed it to her to be faithful.

And it felt right.

xXx

When she pulled me to kiss her after the flap of her tent was securely settled, I shrugged my coat off.

Her hands couldn't push my clothes off fast enough for her liking.

I had her stripped to nothing before she finished working the button to my pants.

Those shy hands pushed my pants over my hips and I shoved them off before kissing her senseless.

I moved my mouth to her breast and she moaned.

"Zev, I...want to touch you."

"Hmm, you are touching me." I shrugged my shoulders where her hands were trying to push me back.

"Not like this." She gave me a harder push.

I knew if she really wanted me to stop toying with her body, she could push me away.

Still, I eased back as she guided me into stretching out on the bedroll.

"Touch away my love. I'm yours to learn from."

She nodded and watching her trace her small hands over my tanned skin was erotic.

Normally, I did this, not received it.

She blushed as her path led her down to the blond hair down south.

She shied away as she looked at my erection.

"Touch me." I whispered.

Rykah very carefully wrapped her fingers around my length.

"Just a little tighter." I instructed.

Her hand held me firmer.

"Stroke."

She nodded.

As she rubbed her hand along my length, the friction was almost torture.

Just a hint painful, but so damn good I couldn't care.

I shuddered as she brought me to the breaking point so quickly.

I had never come to this point so fast.

"Stop." I groaned.

Her hands flew away from me as if she thought she hurt me.

"Did I do something wrong?"

I reached to pull her close.

Her skin was flushed, and she probably didn't notice.

"Absolutely not. Too good in fact. I don't want to come so quickly. But your hands are such sweet torture."

"I..." She blushed as I pulled her to straddle me.

It put my erection against her mound and I could feel how wet she was.

Just from arousing me.

"Maybe another time I will let you push me over that edge like that, but not tonight." I said.

I eased her up enough to position myself.

She didn't show any sign of pain as I pulled her down on me.

"Zevran." She moaned.

"What is it?" I asked as I guided her in riding me.

It was the best kind of test on my control.

She was far too sexy for her own good as she braced her hands on my chest to give herself leverage to move on her own.

"I...I want you to stay with me tonight." She mumbled.

"I am with you." I said.

She made a beautiful groan as my fingers found her clit and I teased it.

"Not like this." She said with a shaky voice. "Sleep here. With me."

"If you want." I pinched slightly and used my other hand to pull her down to claim her mouth as she nearly screamed my name.

Maker I wanted to hear that one of these days.

Perhaps once it was accepted that we were together.

That though had me pausing.

"Zevran." She groaned as I could feel her tightening on me.

I growled as I shoved into her harder and spilled.

She collapsed on me and I pulled her blanket over us both.

I should have gotten up to at least get my bag from by the fire.

Her dog would guard my bag. Fenrir seemed to understand I cared for his master more than the others. And differently too.

Rykah shifted over to lay beside me with her head tucked up on my arm as I laid it out for her to do so.

"Zev." She spoke wearily. Completely tired from the events today and my loving just now.

"Yes?" I brushed my fingers through her soft hair, keeping it out of her face.

"I want you to stay with me forever." She mumbled.

"As long as you want me, I'll be here." I assured.

I heard her even breathing a moment later and had to question whether she had spoken consciously.

Surely she wouldn't have said that if she were fully awake.

xXx

It was quite novel to wake up in the morning to someone playing with my hair.

Rykah traced her finger over the outer edge of my ear.

I looked at her from the corner of my eye.

"You know...a lot of people make fun of elven ears, but...I like yours." She said.

I sighed and rolled my right shoulder where she had obviously been laying on it all night.

I didn't regret it, but it would take getting used to if she continued to want me to sleep with her.

"That's honestly a first. My old partner said I should have gotten them cut since I acted so human."

The look of pain on her face stunned me.

"Don't you dare." She said. She covered her mouth. I watched her look down at her lap. "I'm sorry. I don't have a right to tell you what you can and can't do."

I leaned over and tilted her chin to kiss her.

"I won't cut my ears down just to suit him. If you like them as they are, that's good enough for me."

She sighed. "I do Zev. I like you entirely as you are."

"Flirty and all?" I asked.

"As long..." She looked up at me. "As long as you only touch me." I watched her look away again and she reached for her clothes. "I mean...while we're...together that is."

I pulled my pants on and buttoned them before pulling her in for a kiss again.

"Of course my love. I told you before, I'm very faithful. When it is earned. And you have more than earned it. I don't think you stabbing me in the back could make me betray you at this point."

She nodded and pulled her shirt on.

It took us both a moment before we realized it was my shirt.

She blushed as she pulled it off.

"Sorry."

"Don't be. I liked seeing you in my shirt." I grinned.

In truth, it was a nice image. And I was going to hold on to it forever.

She pulled her shirt on as I tugged mine over my head.

I reached up and felt my braids.

I sighed.

"What?" She asked.

"I'll need to redo my braids soon. My hair is getting long again." I said.

She reached to brush her fingers through the hair at the back of my neck.

"I like it longer. It makes you look..." She blushed. "It's nice."

"Makes me look like a spoiled city elf." I said. "Not a Crow or a fighter."

"Maybe just let it grow a little longer then. Just a couple inches?"

I sighed. "Alright. But I still need to redo the braids."

I collected my coat and pulled it on as she eased her light plate armor on over her chest.

I watched her strap on the armor guards on her thighs and calves before collecting up her weapons.

I had been surprised at her mastery with dual swords as well, but it shouldn't have surprised me. She had no regard for her own safety.

We started to climb out of her tent.

xXx

Her negotiation with the werewolves was smooth. No bloodshed involved.

I was blinded as the curse was undone.

I had to blink away the flashes of light and was startled at the sight of humans.

These were victims of the werewolf curse.

Not just humans.

I saw several Dalish people as well, hugging and being hugged by the humans who had been cursed as well.

It gave me a hint of hope that humans and elves might have a different kind of relationship someday. More like Rykah and me.

She didn't hate, fear, or feel the need to control me.

Hell, this morning she had felt bad about her outburst over telling me not to ever think about cutting my ears.

She didn't want me subservient to her, nor did she think I would hurt her.

She was such a beautiful woman, inside and out.

The cured people headed out to leave and our team followed suit.

Rykah looked around the chamber.

"Rykah?" I called from the exit.

She turned to face me.

She started to walk towards me to catch up and I watched as she stumbled on the uneven floor.

I moved over to steady her and she gripped my hand.

We caught up with the others and I watched them carefully head up the fallen trees.

I started up ahead of her and my fear of her getting hurt came true.

She slipped on the damp wood and her ankle was spared but the broken off stub of wood from where a branch had been gouged right through her pants and left a gash on her leg.

She screamed in pain and Alistair turned around as I was bracing to keep her still.

Bits of the wood were still broken off in her calf.

"What did you do Arainai?" Alistair snapped at me as he moved to pull her out.

"Don't you ever think I'd hurt her Warden." I snapped back as I hit his hand away.

Wynne eased down with Morrigan as I carefully braced one arm under her.

Alistair realized I did nothing as he saw the gash on her leg.

"Collect a fragment of that wood Alistair." Wynne said. "I need to make sure she won't get infected."

"I'll save you the trouble." I eased Rykah free and she gripped my coat while trying to bite back her cries. "The sap is toxic to humans. Not so much to animals. It might give Fenrir a bit of an upset stomach, but after he throws up he'd be fine."

I kept my footing as I carried her up to solid ground.

Sten laid out his thick shirt and I set her down on it as Lelianna put her pack down to pull out the medical kit.

I brushed her hands away as I reached for the knife on my hip.

Rykah bit her fist as I eased her boot off and cut her pant leg off as Sten undid the armor guard that had nearly dug into the outside of her leg as the inside was gashed.

Wynne came to crowd around.

"That is bad." She said. "I think I can heal it."

"Not unless you know how to remove poisons." I said. She moved back. "Fen." I motioned for her dog to come closer. "Lick it." I ordered.

He gave me a droll look, but did as I put my pack down and dug for my old assassin kit.

I pulled out the box of vials and bottles.

Simple everyday plants could be turned into deadly poisons or miracle cures if mixed right.

"Now?" Lelianna asked.

I shook my head.

Rykah was staying strong, but as I looked at her, I saw that some of the fast acting toxin had started to spread before Fenrir could lick at the solid sap on her wound.

I pulled out a bottle of orange tinted liquid and held it up to the light. I set it aside and found the other that went with it.

"You going to poison her now?" Morrigan asked.

I glared at her. "I'd have had plenty of time to do that to everyone here for the past two weeks."

I took a clean cloth from Lelianna's hands and popped the corks on both bottles to drip some liquid onto the gauze.

"Put that on the wound, then wrap it tight." I instructed.

She nodded and Sten held Rykah's leg up off the ground, allowing her to lean back against his leg as he helped her keep her balance.

I capped the bottles again and put them away as Fenrir looked sick.

"Go throw it up you big mutt." I shook my head at him.

He moved away from us all and I heard him hacking.

"Zev, did you poison my dog?" Rykah finally spoke.

"No. He'll be fine. It's the fastest way to clean your wound. Dog slobber will do nothing to you and now that he's thrown up breakfast, he'll be fine." I said as Lelianna pinned the wrap in place.

I started to check it as she cleaned up her supplies.

"I can heal it now." Wynne said.

"It's better to give my mix at least a day to cycle into her body and flush out what got in her." I said.

Sten started to help Rykah stand and her leg gave out from under her.

I held my bag to Lelianna and my weapons to Wynne as Sten kept Rykah standing.

I put my back to her and urged her to let me carry her.

"He's right Rykah, if we get in trouble again, he's the best one to keep you out of it." Alistair said.

Rykah settled on my back and I was careful of her leg as I hooked my arms under her thighs.

Worst case scenario, I might be able to reach back and snag one of her short swords.

Lelianna started to sling her pack over her shoulder.

"Be careful with mine. Those vials shouldn't be shaken up too much. They are still deadly poisons too."

"So you did poison her?" Morrigan asked.

"The orange liquid is something that will induce a fever, the blue is a blood thinner. Hence why I said to give it time to cycle through. Together, they reduce the ability of the toxin to spread past where it sticks to her blood vesicles and make it so that her body goes into overdrive to fight off infection."

I headed for the entrance.

Wynne caught up to me and I saw she had tied my swords to her left side.

"Why be a Crow when you could be a healer?"

"Killing was more my style." I shrugged slightly.

I felt it as the fever hit Rykah finally.

Her head hit my shoulder and I leaned to keep her from falling back.

Fenrir caught up to me to walk beside me as I led the way back to the Dalish camp.

We were nearly in sight when Alistair caught up to me.

"Look, I'm sorry I shouted at you. It's just...you've been too good so far. I guess I should learn to trust that you'll always try to keep her safe. She...changed you."

"I know. I accept your apology." I said.

"She'll be alright, won't she?" He sounded worried.

"Once the mix has been allowed to cycle and her fever breaks, Wynne can heal her and she'll be good as new." I sighed.

"You don't sound sure of that." He said quietly.

"Some people have had bad reactions to the thinner. Granted, I normally use it to kill, but sometimes it causes weird things too. Things worse than me killing them."

Alistair looked worried.

"If she was going to have a negative reaction, she'd have had it by now. The longer it's in her, the less likely she'll react to it. I'd say she won't react." I carried her into the camp and headed for her tent. "I'll lay with her until her fever breaks. I need to keep an eye on the bandaging too."

Alistair nodded.

"Go and let the Dalish know what happened and make sure Wynne is with you. You're not always diplomatic, she has a softer tongue."

He sighed. "Right. Guess I should work on that."

"If you're going to be king someday, maybe."

He shuddered and I grinned as he walked away to collect Wynne from where she was passing my weapons over to Lelianna.

I carefully eased Rykah into my arms and moved into her tent to lay her down.

I stepped out to go and get my stuff.

"Is she going to be alright?" Lelianna asked.

Sten looked slightly worried as well.

"Yes. I'll stay with her and keep an eye on her wound and fever." I took my stuff and went back to Rykah's tent.

I started to get her armor and weapons off and set everything carefully in the corner. I was just easing her clothes off when Fenrir pushed into the tent.

I put her clothes to the side, leaving her in scantily little.

If not for knowing the flush on her skin was a fever, I'd have almost thought she was having an erotic dream.

I pulled my blanket from my bag and laid it over hers to tuck her in with them both.

The extra warmth would help her break this fever in the chill outside.

Fenrir was careful of her right leg as he squeezed himself between her and the wall of the tent, just barely on the edge of the bedroll.

He was worried about his master too.

I shed my jacket and my shirt and slid under the blanket with her.

I settled her so that her leg wasn't going to get bumped and she was snugly against me.

I closed my eyes as I tested her fever with my cheek on her forehead.

She'd be alright. She had to be.

I refused to accept anything less.

xXx

It was midway through the next day when she finally woke.

I looked down at her.

"Zev?"

"Yes?"

She weakly hit my chest.

"You poisoned me."

"Only partly." I smiled. "For your own benefit of course."

She put her hand against my chest and winced as she tried to move her leg.

"Shh. It's still gashed. But the toxin is gone thanks to my poison expertise." I eased away from her.

"Zev?"

"I'm getting Wynne. She can heal it now."

She gripped the waist of my pants as I tried to leave.

"No." She gritted out. "No magic."

I frowned. "But...it'll heal faster."

She shook her head. "I've never been magically healed, and never will be."

"My love, it is best to heal it properly."

She looked at me with pain in those gray eyes. "Magic doesn't work on me."

I looked down at her.

She was right. When Morrigan used magic to infuse all of us with defensive magic, it never worked for Rykah.

I sighed. "Alright." I reached for my pack. "I'll need to change your bandaging though. My medicines and poisons do work on you and I have something that might help you heal faster and something to dull the pain for a while."

She nodded.

I pulled my kit out and reached for a purple filled vial and one of clear liquid.

I normally used the one in tangent with another that would reverse the healing rate. Instead of being faster, it would take much longer. Obviously I used it very little since the vial was still full.

The clear one was nearly empty.

I needed to see if the Dalish here had collected the right fresh plants or knew where to find some that I could take leaves from.

I pulled out a set of clean bandaging and a cloth to apply the medicines to.

Wynne was right. I could have been a healer.

Now I guess I was just Rykah's.

Nearly everything in my kit had a helpful use. Even the stronger stuff that would knock her out or make her sick.

Rykah moved to sit up and began unwrapping her own bandaging.

"Wait, let me get some clean water and rags to wash it first." I said.

She nodded and held what she had removed.

I climbed out as I tugged my shirt back on.

I found a jug of water and several clean rags with the Dalish healer.

She let me take them with the promise to bring them back, clean or dirty.

I nodded and went back towards our camp.

"Is she awake?" Wynne asked.

"Yes, but...you can't heal her. I hadn't noticed really, but she confirmed my suspicion. Magic doesn't work on her." I said.

Wynne looked sad. "Then we'll have to wait until she is healed naturally."

"I've got some stuff that should speed the process up. When I'm done cleaning her wound, do you think you could get these things back to the Dalish healer. And her old bandages will need cleaning too."

Wynne nodded. "Just leave them outside the tent and I'll get them." I turned to head for the tent. "Take care of her Zevran."

"Of course I will." I shrugged.

I went back inside the tent to see her carefully unwrapping the blood crusted bandaging.

She winced as it pulled on a rough edge.

I stopped her.

Cleaning her wound was a tedious process once I realized there were several splinters still in her wound.

She winced as I carefully extracted them with my knife.

I used the sun warmed water to clean the crusted blood from her wound and wiped steadily at the dribbles of fresh blood seeping.

When it stopped bleeding I laid the cloth I doused with drops of the two vials over her wound.

She winced as I started wrapping it again with the roll of bandaging I had.

I was careful to not make it too tight.

It took a few minutes for the pain to fade for her.

I used that time to put the stuff outside the tent and closed the flap again.

"How long will this take to heal?"

"Maybe a week, top." I said.

She sighed.

"We need to head for Denerim. The longer we procrastinate on the Urn, the worse the Arl gets.

I nodded.

"We can leave in the morning if you don't mind me carrying you again." I suggested.

She nodded. "It'll have to do. Might not be as fast as normal, but it'll do."

She started to lay back on her bedroll.

"Smells like dog." She mumbled.

"He slept on your other side, on top of the blankets. He was worried. As...I was."

She made a smile.

"You know I don't let him sleep on my bed. I've never let anyone else sleep on my bed."

I pulled the blankets over her.

"You let me." I teased.

I watched a soft expression cover her face.

She reached to touch my cheek.

"You're special."

I peeled my shirt off and eased in beside her.

"Is that so?"

She put her cheek on my shoulder and her right hand over my heart.

"Of course Zev." She mumbled. "You're mine."

I was quiet as I listened to her drift off from the medicine.

I brushed my fingers over her cheek, pushing her messy brown hair out of her face.

"Yes love, for as long as you want me."

xXx

I carefully wrapped and tucked each vial in the case and then wrapped the case before putting it on top of my bedroll tucked in the bottom of my bag. Everything had to be rearranged to ensure none cracked.

"Come on, we haven't got all day." Alistair grumbled.

I ignored him and rigged my smaller bag to strap onto the top of Rykah's. I kept the water resistant fabric tucked on top in case we needed it.

Her weapons were strapped to one side of her bag, mine to the other.

I got everything situated as she braced herself against Sten.

"Are you sure you can do this?" She asked.

"Nonsense, this is nothing. I've done this before." I said. Not for nearly as long, but I'd had to before.

The Dalish saw us off as far as the edge of the forest.

Carrying her wasn't really a burden.

Not even her pack was heavy. Alistair had offered to carry them, but I barely trusted anyone with my bag. Lelianna had been a dead end resort because I had wanted to get Rykah to her bed as fast as possible and I figured the woman would be more gentle with my pack than the others.

We traveled fairly quietly, Rykah asleep on my back most of the way.

When we made camp, I set up her tent by myself as the others got everything else covered.

There was a bit of a fuss over who was taking the wood gathering job until Fenrir snapped at them all.

Never argue with a dog. Least of all a warbeast like him.

Rykah didn't argue with me as I carried her into her tent after eating a little of the stew Wynne prepared.

I changed the bandages again with the other set and reapplied the medications.

I helped her strip down and she tugged at my coat.

"Zev?"

"Yes?"

"Will you do it? Tonight?"

"Make love to you?"

She blushed as she nodded.

"I suppose. But only if you are very careful. Do not mess with your bandaging."

I shrugged out of my coat.

As armor, it was better than nothing, but I would have liked to have my old Crow gear.

She was careful of her wound as I shed my clothes.

I leaned in to kiss her as I was gentle in arousing her.

It honestly didn't take much.

Part of me wondered if she kept me around just for this.

I normally wouldn't care, but she kept saying I was special to her.

Did she care about me as more than just a companion?

A sexual partner?

"Zevran?"

Her use of my full first name had me looking down at her.

"Do you not want to do this?" She asked.

I sighed. "It's not that. I was just thinking about...well, us."

She smiled softly.

"Rykah, am I just a passing curiosity to you? Something to test before you find someone suitable to your station as Teyrn?"

She frowned before pushing me away.

She turned away from me.

"How can you think that Zev?" She sounded honestly hurt. "I...really care about you. And that's not just the stuff you gave me making me lose my head. I know what I feel."

"I'm an assassin Rykah. I don't do things like 'love' or 'compassion' well."

I still reached to touch her shoulder.

She shrugged away.

"I know...I just...I can't help it."

I sighed.

"Why not Alistair? Why not some other young, human, royal?"

She looked at me. "Emphasis on the human part I suppose?"

I knew it stung her.

She looked back at the wall of her tent.

"I...I've never cared about you being an elf Zevran. So trying to bring that up as a block is just a cowards tactic."

I turned her onto her back.

"Then answer me." I snapped. She flinched and I softened my touch on her cheek. "Please?"

"I've tried being with others from the time I was old enough to consider it. As you know already, it just never worked out. I was always missing something. Maybe it was just that he wasn't mentally on my level, maybe physically he just didn't make me feel hot like you do, maybe a combination, I don't know."

I watched her look up at me.

"But?" I encouraged.

"But when I saw you, that day you attacked us, I just knew I'd found someone who fit me. If it had been just you that day, no hired weight, you likely could have killed us all. Because you wouldn't have done that ambush. You'd have been methodical about it. You would have planned."

"Well...planning has never been my strong point. Killing, that I can do. Killing and lovemaking. And witty retorts." I added.

She cracked a smile as I had hoped.

"Still, you would have done it quietly and efficiently had you really wanted us dead."

I sighed. "True."

I moved to lay beside her.

"I'm sorry I'm so bad at this." She mumbled.

I pulled her against me, feeling her soft skin against my body.

"It is perfectly fine Rykah. We can be bad together."

She smiled.

"We'll learn, right Zev?"

I nodded.

She settled in and I listened to her drift off.

If she had no idea how long she wanted this to go on between us, then I could only hope she never got bored of me.

After so long being alone in a crowd, being with these people, especially her, made me feel at peace.

In just the short time I'd been with them, I could honestly say I'd found someone to call a friend. A real friend.

One who wouldn't stab me in the back eventually.

That kind of tactic just wasn't in her book.

xXx

She still had a faint limp to her right leg as we walked into Denerim again.

Alistair stayed to her left, while I put myself to her right.

It wasn't something they probably thought about, but for her, the obvious leader, to put me at her side was a show of complete trust.

We talked again with the Brother's assistant and found out he was an imposter. Who I had to kill to prevent him from stabbing Alistair in the ribs through that shoddy armor of his.

We found the real man in the back room, dead.

I found notes from Genitivi on where he was heading, but no map.

Haven could be anywhere in those mountains.

As we were heading out towards the gates again, we were ambushed.

But this time it was by a full group of Crows.

And not just any leader.

Taliesen.

My old partner.

"Well now. Good old Zevran. It's been too long. I've missed you."

"I'm sure." I scoffed.

"You know, you can come back with us. We'll always take you in."

"I suppose I'd have to be dead, wouldn't I?" Rykah asked him.

"Of course." He smiled coldly.

My blood ran slightly cold at the mere thought.

Her beautiful smile, gone. Those soft touches, unfelt again. Looking in those gray eyes and seeing warmth towards me, hearing her laugh at something I said or how I antagonized the rest of the group, all gone.

"You and everyone else here of course."

He looked at me.

She reached out and slipped her hand into mine.

I could feel her soft hide gloves through my own.

The Dalish gloves she'd found and cleaned and repaired for me. As an honest gift. A real show of affection.

I squeezed her hand lightly.

I looked at my old partner.

"I'll have to pass. I'm not going anywhere. Least of all back to the Crows." I shook my head.

His face changed and weapons were drawn instantly.

Two of his men rushed me, knowing I was easily one of the deadliest targets they'd ever had.

They were just fresh kids compared to me.

I looked at their faces.

No, they were kids.

He'd brought two young elf recruits to get at me.

A sign that I was replaceable to them.

I shoved them back and kicked out.

My boot came in contact with the smaller boy's jaw and he dropped.

The other one flinched as I slammed the hilt of my short sword against the base of his neck.

I let him fall beside the other and turned in time to see my old partner holding his knife at the ready to cut Rykah's throat.

I couldn't breathe for a moment.

I rushed from his blind point and braced the knife he'd once given me with both hands.

He tumbled to the ground with me and over the ledge of the terrace they had ambushed us on.

I felt the poisoned edge of his blade cut through the leather of my jacket and brush the linen shirt under it.

But mine was firmly lodged between his ribs.

We slammed to the ground twenty feet below and the wind was knocked out of me.

I'd landed mostly on him, further jamming my blade into him.

He coughed up blood as I pushed away.

"You always were the soft one." He spat at me.

I watched him die as I heard Rykah call my name.

I looked down at him as I stood up, pulling my knife from him.

"Zev!" She sounded like she was worried.

I looked up at her as I moved towards the stairs.

She met me halfway as the others cleaned up the bodies.

Alistair tied the two young elves up, since I'd left them alive.

Rykah reached up to touch my cheek.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"I...I'm fine. I'm free. For once, I really feel free. With him dead, I won't be hunted. At least, not directly. I can finally travel."

She looked sad. "And you want to?"

"I do."

She gripped my coat.

"If you leave, I'll be sorely put out though."

I laughed before pulling her close. "Stupid. I wanted to be free to travel with you. No worries about this shit happening."

She looked relieved as she buried her face against my chest.

"Good. Because I'd really miss you. Really Zevran."

"And I would miss having you as a friend."

I sighed as I held her for a moment.

"I think of you as more than a friend."

She pulled away and started to lead me back up the stairs.

I huffed a laugh as I followed.

I felt every aching muscle from the fall.

I staggered slightly when we came to the top and Alistair reached out to touch my shoulder.

"Are you okay?" He sounded genuinely concerned.

Wynne frowned. "That was a big fall you took. Are you sure nothing is broken?"

I nodded. "I'm alright. I landed on him anyway. I'll be perfectly fine tomorrow." I said.

Rykah sighed.

"We should get out of town while we can." Sten said.

I nodded. "Yes. We need to head for Haven and find Genitivi."

Rykah moved away from me.

I rolled my shoulders as I let them get ahead of me.

Fenrir fell back and licked my glove.

I rubbed his ears.

It was the most affection I'd ever received from him.

I watched everyone as we headed out of the city.

xXx

We made camp quite a few miles from the city.

I helped Alistair gather wood for the fire and he cornered me in the woods.

I could have gotten away, but he didn't look like he intended to fight me.

"Are you really okay?" He asked.

"A little bruised, but I'm perfectly alright."

He sighed. "That's not what I mean Zevran. He was your friend."

I shook my head.

"No, he was my partner and rarely a companion. He was never a friend. Not like Rykah. Definitely not. Hell, not even like you. At least you won't intentionally destroy something you knew I cared for just to spite me."

He sighed. "I wouldn't. With friends like that, who'd need enemies?"

I laughed. "True."

We carried what we had gathered back to the camp.

Rykah was sitting on a log beside the cleared spot for the fire and I put the wood I'd gathered down to join her.

She looked up at me.

I sighed as she reached up and brushed her fingers through my hair, careful of the braid on that side.

"You really need to redo these."

I nodded and reached to undo them.

She stood up and moved behind me.

I frowned until I felt her brushing her fingers through my hair.

Morrigan gave us a bemused look from the other side of where Alistair was starting the fire.

I settled in as I felt Rykah begin to work with the two longer parts of my hair to make the new braids tighter than before and even.

It was really hard to manage that on my own.

Wynne and Lelianna got the food prepared and as Rykah finished, she leaned against my back.

"I really was scared when you went over the edge like that. Please don't do that again."

"I didn't intend for that, but I saw him ready to kill you and I just couldn't let that happen." I said.

She moved back to sitting beside me.

After we all ate, I followed Rykah into her tent.

We didn't speak as we both undressed.

I kissed her as I moved over her.

She pulled me to her and held me.

I guess it must have really terrified her at the thought of me being dead too.

Maybe this was what it meant to really care for someone.

I had cared about Rinna too, but not like this.

Her murder had hit me hard, but not because I couldn't bear never seeing her again. I just had a gut instinct that we were all wrong.

If Rykah had been hurt today, I...couldn't even think about it.

I felt her pushing at me and realized I'd been holding her tighter than I'd meant.

She didn't look upset about it.

Merely pulled me down for a gentle kiss as I slid into her welcoming body.

She was just as bad as I was as we made love.

Never rough, but this was definitely an act of life reaffirmation.

Neither of us were killed today.

Had she not still been limping, she very well might have been able to hold her own against my old partner.

But her calf had healed up pretty well.

I'd always watch for her though.

Anything to make things easier on her.

She scraped her nails over my back as she came and the look on her face pulled me along with her.

I settled beside her as soon as I could lower myself away from her.

She pushed against my side and put her head on my right arm as I turned to my side to wrap my arms around her.

This was definitely not something I'd ever done with anyone else.

I had never cuddled up to another person like this in my life.

I just couldn't resist it with her though.

Something about the way she was just pulled me in like a moth to a flame.

I just hoped I never wound up burned.

xXx

I woke to Fenrir barking.

I was up instantly.

He never barked.

I yanked my pants on as Rykah pulled her clothes on sloppily.

Nothing was done up right, but she pulled the light armor over her clothes anyway.

We grabbed our weapons and I pushed first out of the tent.

Everyone else was staggering out of their tents.

"Fen?" Rykah whispered.

He snarled in response.

I felt her grip the sleeve of my undone coat. Her finger caught the tear and she frowned.

"Something is coming." She said.

"You have a dream of the Archdemon too?" Alistair asked as he readied himself.

Even he didn't look fully pulled together.

Sten and Morrigan probably looked the most ready for a fight.

I watched Rykah nod to the question.

Damn. Any of their dreams relating that beast were bad news.

I jolted slightly as at least a dozen, no more than twenty, Darkspawn came from the trees around us.

Wynne and Morrigan threw up a spell each that lit up the area.

I saw Genlocks and Hurlocks, but nothing more.

A scouting party to test our strength?

I held both blades loosely before rushing at a group of six with Rykah a step behind me.

We moved perfectly in sync. It was good to see the results of all our training that this whole group moved quite well. Keeping the magic users to the center of our circle.

I felt the magic guards wrap around me, and glanced over to watch them bounce off Rykah.

She kept going as if it had never happened.

As if she couldn't feel the crackle in the air around her.

When all the beasts lay dead, I turned to look at her.

"Can you not even feel the magic?"

She shook her head.

"My...mother used to say I gave up the ability to sense magic or use it in exchange for my natural gift with any weapon I touch."

I sighed.

The others moved to start cleaning up camp.

Where one group was, others would surely follow.

Rykah and I put the tent away neatly and I cleaned off our weapons as she fixed her clothes and armor properly.

I held her swords back to her as everyone was ready.

Setup and breakdown seemed to come pretty fast now.

We headed for the road leading to Orzammar.

If anyone knew where the town of Haven was, it might be the surface dwarves set up outside the entrance to the great city of dwarves.

xXx

It was nearing nightfall when we came to the path leading to the entrance.

Rykah debated just camping for the night, but settled on just pushing forward.

As we came up to the entrance, there was yelling.

Some of Loghain's men were trying to get access to poison the minds of the dwarves.

I stuck to the back of the group, hidden from sight, observing the man who knew me by sight.

Rykah managed to intimidate him and his group into leaving.

It was amazing how someone so small and fragile could make grown men cower.

Hell, sometimes she scared me.

The dwarves let us in and sent a younger boy running ahead to let the dwarf temporarily in charge know we were coming.

I moved to stand beside Rykah again as the huge doors closed behind us.

xXx

In just a few minutes of observing the meeting while waiting for our host, Rykah had already determined which of the two candidates would be better suited for both our needs and the dwarves.

From the conversations I'd picked up on while we walked, I could tell the Prince was definitely more favored by the people.

It was the nobility who wanted the strict set of rules to continue.

Mostly because it kept them in power.

The Prince would have thrown those rules out the window.

Not all of them it seemed, but the ones keeping the dwarves locked in a state of stale life.

I listened as she spoke with our host and he explained that we couldn't be helped until there was a king.

Then she set out to find the Prince's men and get an audience.

The dwarf who spoke for the Prince to outsiders during this event urged us to help reveal the treachery Harrowmont was up to and Rykah agreed.

Then he offered us all rooms in the private royal quarter.

Small guest rooms, but each of the four rooms were carved with a clean hot spring pool and had a nice bed.

Alistair and Sten took a room, Lelianna and Wynne took the one beside theirs. We left Morrigan by herself, not wanting to irritate her.

And no one said a word to me staying with Rykah again.

Maybe they had begun to accept me being with her.

I bolted the door closed behind us as Fenrir laid in the hallway to guard all four doors at the end of the hall.

Rykah sighed.

"We'll set out in the morning to tell the two about his offer, and then hopefully we can talk to the Prince." She said.

I nodded and moved towards her.

I stood behind her as she eased her armor off.

"We need to get you some new armor my love. This stuff is too big for you and not suited to your style." I said as I set it aside neatly for her on the table.

"I know. Perhaps while we are here, we should make a detour to see the best smiths this city has to offer. Dwarven armor is rumored to be some of the best."

I nodded. "My old Crow gear was Dwarven made. Quite luxurious too. Comfortable and maneuverable."

She sighed as she looked at the spring.

I moved around her as I tossed my coat to the desk.

"Come on." I coaxed as I shed my clothes.

She had a weary look on her face after the long day of travel after having gotten up too early to fight Darkspawn.

I reached to help her remove her shirt.

"I know what you need."

"You?" She smiled as she shimmied out of her pants.

I grinned. "Close. I will show you."

I eased her into the pool with me and sighed at the warm water.

There was even a shelf with towels stocked and hard soap bars.

I took one and wrapped it in a small cloth and rubbed.

"That is a treat." She reached for one.

I moved to block her.

"Zev? Let me enjoy my first real bath in a while."

"You will." I said.

xXx

She didn't relax for a moment in my arms until I was halfway through carefully cleaning every inch of her.

I checked the new scar on her calf and kissed the clean, fresh skin.

"I am so sorry you had to get this." She shook her head lazily.

"I was careless Zev. I should have been watching my footing. Not your ass."

"Was that what distracted you?" I teased.

"I...not like that!" She blushed. "Not that I don't like looking, but...ugh, you're impossible."

"I'm told I'm incorrigible all the time." I rinsed the last of the soap from her skin and used a little on my hands to do her hair.

"I was looking at you, where you were, instead of where my feet were."

"It rightly scared me when you went down like that. That sap could have killed you."

"And if a hundred things hadn't been how they were, I would be dead long before now. But yes, without you there, knowing what it was and having the stuff to help me, I'd have died. I know. And I thank the Maker every time I look at you, that I didn't let Alistair run you through while you were down."

I sighed as I let her settle herself at the edge of the pool on the underwater shelf.

I quickly and efficiently cleaned myself.

"I am forever grateful for it as well." I said. "Had you let him, I never would have gotten to know you. To...care for you like I do."

She smiled. "So you do care?"

I tossed the wrung out cloth to the side of the pool and moved towards her.

"Of course. Enough to want to keep you safe."

I pulled her into my arms and picked her up.

She wrapped her arms around my neck as I took us both out of the pool.

I let her slide down my body to stand on her own feet before grabbing two towels.

She wrapped herself in one as I dried myself with the other.

My hair needed braiding again, but it was worth it.

She dried herself before tucking the towel to hold around her body.

She tugged on one of the longer hanks of hair hanging at the side of my face.

I looked down at her.

"Can I?" She asked.

I nodded.

I moved to sit on the bed, throwing the towel with the other cloth.

She blushed slightly at the sight of my body still, but it was a beautiful flush on her skin.

I felt her climb onto the bed and settle behind me to braid my hair properly.

I'd done it myself for so long it was like a prized treat to have her do it.

Especially knowing she did it tightly and evenly.

When she was finished, I turned and urged her to lay on the bed.

It was surprisingly large and soft.

I realized why it was so soft as I saw how it was put together.

The mattress was full of soft sand, giving the perfect ability to conform to our bodies.

It was brilliant.

But the pillows were just as impressive, being filled with sand as well.

Yet none of it fell out.

The weave of the fabric was so tight.

I looked down at her hair spread over one of the pillows.

"Zev?"

"Yes?"

"Let's make the most of private, thick walled chambers." She said.

I grinned.

"Of course."

The walls were thick, and the doors nearly as thick with a roll of fabric to seal out noise.

Finally, I could hear her scream my name as I made her break.

We didn't need hesitation or permission.

She knew my body was open to her wandering hands, just as she didn't stop me from worshipping every inch of her skin as thoroughly as I'd cleaned her.

When I used my hands to bring her over the edge, she resisted crying out.

I watched as she stared at me while I brought my mouth to throw her into a second orgasm.

"Zevran!" She moaned my name as she reached for me with weak hands as her body shuddered under my touch.

I had let her touch me enough while using my hands on her.

When I surged into her without warning, she moaned.

I groaned at how tight she still was.

I had to wonder if she would ever change.

I didn't want her to.

She raked her fingers over my shoulders, leaving red marks on my skin as I pushed into her over and over relentlessly.

I leaned down to kiss her as my hand snaked between us to tease her clit.

She closed her eyes as she tried to remain in control.

"Look at me Rykah." I growled.

I wanted to see those gray eyes as she came.

I wanted to see the pleasure on her face.

But mostly, I wanted her to always remember the face of the man who brought it to her.

As her eyes opened to meet mine, I rubbed in just the way I knew would set her off.

She screamed my name this time.

It was perfect. Finally being able to hear her voice while making love to her.

Her body pulled me along with her and I stared down at her as I groaned her name while spilling into her.

It was worth the fear of being deep underground with almost no way out in an emergency.

She was worth it.

xXx

Finding the people we needed to show the papers to turned out a bit more complicated than it had seemed.

The one man was easy enough to find, the other, not so much.

We ended up traveling into the Deep Roads.

I kept close to Rykah, ever weary of her being hurt again.

None of these Darkspawn or the beasts that lived down here had a chance against her though.

It took longer than I'd have liked to find the group of dwarves we were looking for.

And when we finally got back, the visit to see the Prince was only allowed to her and Alistair.

The meeting could have taken hours.

I couldn't stand the wait.

I went out to the craftsmen's area of the city and located one of the best smiths according to the royal guards.

The dwarf was a bit rough to talk to, but he allowed me to go through the things he had made.

I found some armor similar to my old Crow gear and was surprised to find that it fit.

"Do you have another set of this?" I asked. "Maybe just a little smaller?"

He grumbled, but sifted through a chest behind him and pulled out another set of the metal plate covered leather pants and jacket.

The set he handed to me were going to be perfect for Rykah.

I reached for my coin purse and haggled with him after realizing I was a few silvers short.

After pointing out that the stuff I was buying couldn't be used by any dwarves and few grown humans, who would normally never see these, he agreed to take what I had.

I also let him have my old leather coat to use as he pleased.

I carefully folded the other set and wrapped it up in a piece of rough linen he gave me to keep it from getting dirty when I explained that it was for my love.

The rough old dwarf was nicer than he appeared to be.

I made my way back to the royal palace.

When I crossed through the doors leading to the rooms we were set up in, I was assaulted by a smaller body.

I nearly dropped the armor as I caught her up.

"Where were you?" She asked.

Even Alistair in the hallway ahead of us looked a bit uneasy.

"I thought you left. That you got in trouble." She said.

I held Rykah close.

"I'm sorry I worried you." I saw the relief from Alistair before he headed into the room he shared with Sten.

I eased Rykah away and urged her towards our room.

She kept a hold of my hand.

As I closed the door behind us, she finally took in the new armor.

"You went out for armor?" She frowned.

"Yes." I held out the wrapped set.

"I was worried, and you were fine?"

I moved closer to set the armor in her hands.

"I'm sorry love. I didn't think you'd be done so soon."

She put the wrapped gear on the bed without looking at it.

"You were gone for almost two hours. Surely you didn't think I'd take that long?"

"What do you think of my new gear?" I asked as I shrugged the coat off and set it over the back of the chair at the desk. She stared at me as I undid the ties keeping the pants up over my own.

"It's very nice. Looks like the stuff you said you used to have." She said.

She looked ready to get on me again about being gone so long.

I reached for her and she let me turn her to face the bed.

I moved to unwrap the linen and she reached to touch my hand where it was around her shoulder.

"Zev...you..."

"I want you to have something to actually fight in. Something that will protect you, but still allow you to move." I said.

She reached to hold up the coat.

I stepped back as she pulled it on.

It did fit her perfectly.

She pulled the pants on over hers and did the ties to hold them up.

"This is...so light."

"And it is magically reinforced." I said. "As is mine. I took so long because I found a dwarf who could weave magical protection into the armor I bought us. Magic doesn't work on you directly, but I hoped being infused with your armor would be possible."

She moved to hug me and I let her.

"Thank you Zev." She stepped away and pulled it all off again.

"It seems like my guess was right. Being on your armor seems fine. So long as it isn't put on you."

She moved for her bag and as she started to pull out her tiny purse, I covered her hands.

"It's a gift love. I...I want you safe, even if you ever choose to get rid of me."

She turned to face me.

Rykah reached with both hands to pull me down to her.

"You know I'm never doing that."

No, I really didn't.

I hoped, but her word was the only thing I had to rely on.

Not that I put no faith in her, but I had been lied to by people I cared about before.

"Let us worry about that when it comes." I said softly before kissing her.

xXx

After we ate a good evening meal for the first time in a while, we all relaxed for the night before we went off on whatever mission Rykah had been given by the prince to help settle this deadlock.

I lay beside her to sleep, content to just hold her warm, soft, supple body close to me.

She didn't press further, seeming to sense that I just wanted to hold her tonight.

It didn't bother her to snuggle up to me and cuddle.

There was warmth between us like I'd never felt.

As many times as she said she wouldn't get rid of me, I still felt that twinge in the back of my mind.

This warmth was only temporary.

It just seemed like my old partner sneered at me from the grave.

Everything I'd tried to cherish in my life had been brutally taken from me, either by him or a fight.

I guess I was just waiting for her to be taken too.

xXx

We were joined by a drunken dwarf as we made our way to find a lost Paragon.

Turned out, that Paragon was his wife.

As we made our way through the Deep Roads, following the trail, that sinking feeling just kept getting deeper.

I tried to act my cheerful self, but I think she noticed.

As we made camp in a tiny crevice in the tunnel, I didn't resist as she curled up with me.

It did a lot to ease my mind in fact.

It was hard to think that I'd gone from someone who had accepted death to a man who wanted something I could never have.

Forever with a Grey Warden.

xXx

When we made it to that bridge, I swear I was more terrified than I'd ever been.

Seeing the Archdemon personally was a shock.

Knowing that the woman I had come to care so much for had to slaughter that thing herself was even more frightening.

As good as Alistair was, the sight of his face had me believing that he'd fight, but he'd never be able to make the final blow.

It would kill him before that could happen.

No, he was to be support for Rykah, nothing more.

It took careful work to get past everything set up to stop us.

But we found the remains of Branka's group.

And the survivor she had left behind.

We continued forward, fighting the ugliest creature I'd seen in my life aside from the Demons.

It rivaled the Sloth Demon in terms of ugliness.

I kept Rykah safe from the tentacles aiming to grab her and ended up caught by one myself.

Luckily, Alistair cut through it and I tumbled to the floor as the monster died from the others attacking it.

He gave me a hand and pulled me to my feet.

Rykah walked beside me from then on as we made our way to our target.

I was surprised to see Branka still alive as we found what we were looking for.

I felt bad for Ogrhen as his own wife ignored him in favor of her lost artifact.

But seeing the Anvil personally, I could see why it drew attention.

Having such power was a heady temptation.

I made the comment on how it would be useful to have an army of golems fighting for us.

"And just what would you think after you became one of those things?" Alistair asked.

I went to speak, but Rykah took my hand and spoke softly to me.

"You wouldn't be able to be with me anymore Zev." She sounded sad.

"I...guess that would be a bother, wouldn't it." I said to Alistair.

We settled on destroying it.

After a tussle with Branka and the golems she managed to control, we could finally break it.

In payment for the destruction, its master created one last thing to help us.

A crown for whoever became king of the dwarves.

In other words, whoever Rykah chose.

xXx

The trip back was pretty uneventful. One ambush by a handful of Darkspawn.

Nothing we couldn't handle.

Rykah did seem to be enjoying her new armor.

Even Alistair and the others had commented on how much better she moved and how it was more defensive than it looked.

These coats had hoods that also had linked pieces of metal fastened on just like the rest of the coat and the pants.

If I had my old Crow mask, I'd say it would be even better than my old armor.

As we came back into the city, our new dwarf companion seemed a bit at a loss on where to go.

Rykah offered for him to join us on our journey.

He agreed.

We made our way back to where the daily argument was being held and I stood by the door with the others, ready if Rykah needed me.

The crown was accepted with the awe it deserved.

She gave it over to the Prince, indicating the old Paragon's decision.

He'd claimed to not be interested in current affairs, but there was just no way after listening to Rykah talk about what was going on that he hadn't caved in and made it for the Prince

It fit him perfectly.

She moved to leave as he ordered Harrowmont's execution.

Alistair and Sten held the doors for her as I moved to walk with her.

At the sound of the brutal death, I pulled her close, seen only by our group.

She gripped the hem of my coat as I led the way back to the rooms the Prince had let us use.

Everyone went their own way, Ogrhen joining Alistair and Sten.

I closed the door to our room.

"Why did he have to kill him?" She sat on the bed.

I moved in front of her to help her shed her gear after pulling my own off.

"I know it is hard to accept, but some people won't just go quietly to their defeat. I'm sure Howe won't."

She clenched her hands on my shirt.

"That's different. He deserves death after what he did to my family. My parents are dead because of him." She said as she looked up at me.

"I know. And we will make him pay for it." I pulled her towards me to kiss her.

She turned herself to face me as I sat on the bed beside her.

"Zev...why is it that I try so hard to stop people from fighting each other but it never works?"

She looked hurt and scared. I pulled her close.

"You've stopped a lot of bad things. You stopped the werewolves from fighting with the Dalish and even lifted their curse. You fixed the problem at the Circle with so very few casualties. I heard from someone in the market when I got our armor that most of the Templars we had restrained after freeing them from the Demons were just about back to normal."

"Most."

"A few died of their wounds my love, but none were killed because they had been corrupted. You saved them. And you saved Redcliff from its disaster and even the Arls wife is alive. Things tend to go well around you, you just don't see it like I do." I said.

She sighed as she curled up against me.

"I just...I want to save people Zev."

"I know. I am one of your rescues."

"You say that as if you're a pet." She mumbled as she slid down to curl on the bed with her head on my thigh.

I stroked her hair as I laughed.

"It's not funny Zev. The way you talk sometimes, it's as if you think I own you in some way." She spread her hand over my thigh and I looked down at her.

She was really hurt over the inability to save everyone.

"I'm sorry Rykah. It isn't that I think you own me. I know you consider me free to choose my life. But I will always think of you as the one who owns my life because you saved it." She started to speak again, but I put my finger over her lips. "You chose to spare me that day, not because you wanted to use me the way the Crows did, but because you're a beautiful woman with an even more beautiful soul. In my eyes, I can't do less than give you my life because without your mercy, I'd be dead. I care for you, much deeper than I had thought possible for a man like me. I would gladly put myself between you and danger because I care, not because I owe it to you."

She pushed up.

"Please don't talk about you dying. I...don't like it."

I laughed. "I plan to live for a very long time. An old fortune teller once told me I wouldn't die young. I guess she was right."

Rykah sighed. I put my hand on her cheek.

"You can't save everyone love. There are going to be people who, no matter what you do or say, will continue to rush to their deaths."

She nodded and leaned into my touch.

No one had ever done that before her.

Not like she did.

She didn't have a hint of reservation or fear of my touch.

All of my previous targets had tried to hide it, but I could tell.

Rykah had never feared my touch.

Maybe Alistair was right.

Maybe the Maker did speak to her.

It was like she knew that I wasn't ever going to hurt her.

Even that day I attacked them, I was already pulling back before Alistair rushed me.

Some assassin I was.

No, I was good at my job. It was just her.

I was drawn to her like nothing else had ever drawn me in.

As if from the moment I saw her, I was bound to her by my very soul.

I pulled away from her at the knock on the door.

She moved to stand up and hurried to quickly put our armor on the desk and stand as commanding as possible.

I gave her a smile as I opened the door.

xXx

Alistair stood there with several of the new King's guards and the King himself.

"Come in." Rykah spoke up.

Alistair stepped in and as the rest came in I closed the door.

The two guards looked at me.

"I'm afraid this must be private." Bhelen said.

Rykah nodded. "Zevran is as trusted by me as Alistair is. If not more because he knows the value of silence. He was an Antivan Crow."

Bhelen looked at me.

"And he's not here to kill anyone?"

Rykah gave an honest laugh and Alistair chuckled. The King looked at them again.

"Zevran was assigned to kill us both." Alistair said. "Loghain hired him. He ambushed us a while back."

"And you kept him alive?"

Rykah smiled. "I suppose you could say my payment is worth more than Loghain's."

Damn straight.

Money might get me those boots back home, but nothing would replace Rykah.

The King nodded. "Always good to have a good assassin on your side."

"Very much so." Alistair nodded. "And he's been a fantastic ally."

The praise from Alistair was rather unexpected, but appreciated the same.

"I can honestly tell you that I will help you fight the Archdemon. As you know, I can't send too many troops, considering we fight every day down here, but it should definitely be a help."

Rykah nodded. "Any support you can give would be helpful."

"And as for that other place. I had a look at some of our older maps of the surface and I think I found the place you are searching for." He pulled out a very old and tattered piece of hide.

I hadn't seen a hide map in my life. Those had been used decades ago.

He unfolded it on the bottom of the bed and I moved to look and Rykah stood at my side to look down at the map.

I scanned quickly and pointed at the label of the village we were looking for.

Alistair pulled out our map and scribbled in the location.

"I don't know if it is still there. But that is where Haven used to be."

Rykah sighed as Bhelen rolled the thin hide back up and tucked it away in a pouch.

"That is immensely helpful." She said.

"I take it you will be heading there next?"

"I'd like to leave tomorrow morning. To give the rest of my group some time to get new, better equipment." She said.

Bhelen nodded. "Alright. You may continue to use these rooms until you leave. If I don't see you before then, good luck."

Rykah nodded. "Thank you."

I held the door for the King and his guards as they left.

"Alistair." Rykah looked at him. "Get the others and see what gear you can find. I'm sure the gold Bhelen gave us for our preparations should cover some good gear for everyone."

He nodded and I watched her go to her pack.

She pulled out a hefty bag of coins and handed it to him.

"What about you two?"

"Zev got us gear. All I can ask is if you can find a couple pairs of dual swords that are better than our current ones. Ours are still good and I think they just need a good sharpening. So if you can handle that too?"

Alistair nodded. She handed him both her swords and mine as well.

"I'll see to it."

He headed out the door to collect the others and I closed the heavy wood behind him.

I looked at her.

"Such a long day." I sighed.

"Very much so." She started to pull her shirt off. "I think we should take a bath and then relax."

"Taking a bath is relaxing." I said as I shed my clothes.

I followed her into the pool and was slightly startled when she turned on me.

xXx

As she forcefully pushed me back against the stone ledge, I didn't really know how to react.

It wasn't as if she was hurting me, so I didn't want to hurt her.

"Rykah?"

She moved her hands to my wrists.

As she forced my hands to spread over the floor behind me, I looked down slightly at her.

Her eyes met mine and it was like she lost the craze that had held her.

She put her head against my chest and her hands moved to my hips to settle gently.

"I'm sorry Zev. I...thought I could do it, but...I can't."

"Do what?" I frowned.

She didn't look at me, but I caught the flush on her cheeks.

"I just wanted to be the one in control for once."

I relaxed and wrapped my arms around her.

"All you have to do is say so my love. I have no issues with you taking control of our actions."

She looked up at me. "But, that's not something I can just say."

"Sure it is. I want you to control our lovemaking." I said.

She blushed.

"Then...can I...wash you?"

I felt the heat flood my body at her words.

"If you want to." I ground out.

She reached for the cloth we had used the other night and the soap and I moved to let her wash me.

Her hands shook slightly as she touched me.

This was a different level from her touching my body during sex.

This put me completely vulnerable to her.

She had given herself to me the other night and I refused to deny her curiosity.

Those small hands steadied as she cleaned my back.

I felt her touch the still tender scrapes from her nails the other day.

She had scratched me just shy of drawing blood.

"Did I...do these?"

"Absolutely. I love it." I said.

"You...enjoy that?"

"Not normally, but with you, entirely."

I felt her brush her fingers down over the marks again.

When her hands continued further down, I felt my body tense at her touch.

She took her time washing me until she had to actually focus on the one part of me that defied my desire to relax and enjoy the perfect torment.

I took the cloth and deftly finished before rinsing myself off and moving to sit on the edge of the pool.

I watched her clean herself.

She seemed nervous as I watched her.

"You're staring again." She mumbled.

"And why wouldn't I stare at such a beautiful body?" I teased. "Especially one I crave so much."

It just slipped out, but her blush was worth my slight embarrassment.

When she rinsed off, I helped her out of the pool and grabbed a clean towel to dry off and handed her a clean one as well.

I headed for the bed after picking our clothes up and setting them on the small table beside the bed.

I laid out on the bed and held out my hand in invitation.

With the soft blankets pushed to the side, I could feel the way the sand under me flowed to conform to me.

Rykah had a soft look on her face as she came to me.

She moved over me and I looked up at her as my hands settled on her hips.

"Zev?" I raised a brow at her. "Have you ever...had someones mouth on you?"

"Never as pleasurable as even your touch." I said.

It was true. Just her touch set me more on fire than every other person who had touched me before.

She shifted down a little and I felt her tiny hands trace over the tattoos on my skin.

I didn't really know how I could get harder, but it almost hurt to not have her touch on my cock.

I looked down at her as she leaned down over me.

It was like looking at my fantasy come true as I watched her take me into her mouth.

It was hell to feel it though.

The Crows had no torture that could have prepared me for this.

Her hands wrapped what her mouth couldn't comfortably cover and I groaned as she moved.

I twisted my hands in the sheet under me, careful of the mattress.

It wasn't very long at all before I was at the edge of orgasm.

I gritted my teeth as I tried not to come.

She looked up at me from under her bangs.

Her tongue stroked over the underside of the head and she sucked.

It was too much.

Her simple actions drove me over the edge.

I couldn't hold myself up as I spilled into her mouth.

She swallowed my semen as I watched with hooded eyes.

It took so much effort to keep looking at her.

I finally felt the breath fill my lungs again and reached to pull her up.

Even after that, I was still hard.

I wanted to make love to her.

She reached with gentle hands to position me at her entrance and I pulled her down hard.

She gasped at the force, but I didn't let up.

Her hands braced on my chest to give herself leverage.

It was hard and fast tonight.

"Rykah." I groaned. She looked at me, trying to find the perfect angle. It was so hard to wait for her. "You are the best thing in my life right now. No matter what, I won't let that monster hurt you."

She leaned down to kiss me.

"I know."

I reached between us to rub her clit and it threw her over the edge, taking me with her as she tightened on me.

She collapsed on me and I held her close as I pulled the blankets over us both.

xXx

I woke to a soft knock.

Rykah lay beside me, completely out to the world.

She must have been more than exhausted.

I slid away and pulled on my pants before cracking the door open.

Alistair gave me a confused look as I reached for the new dual swords he'd found Rykah and my sharpened ones.

"Zevran..." He spoke before I could close the door. I looked up a little at him. "You...do mean to stay with her, right?"

"For as long as she'll keep me." I nodded.

"It's just...I don't want to see either of you hurt. You...are as close to a friend as I can call, and she is a bit like a sister to me."

"I don't know what we're doing Alistair. I'm taking this day by day. If she wants more, all she has to do is ask."

"And marriage? You know she's a noble. If her brother is indeed alive, she is the sister of a tyern, which still makes her outrank nearly everyone here except Bhelen and some of the upper level dwarves." He said.

I rubbed the back of my neck.

"I...don't know."

"Do you love her enough to walk away if that's what it takes?" He asked.

"I'm not sure if I can. I owe Rykah my life and until I see that debt repaid to my satisfaction, even her marrying another noble won't stop me from protecting her."

Alistair grabbed my wrist.

"I'm asking because..." He let go and sighed before rubbing his head. "Look, I hate the idea of being King, but if I'm needed to step in and fill Cailan's boots, I'll give it a shot. And if that is the case, I...I'm thinking I'll have some need for a friend among the ranks."

"What are you getting at?" I yawned.

"If I become King, I need someone that both the Alianage Elves and the Dalish will be willing to go to. You are Dalish, even if you deny that, and you are an elf."

"You want to make me an ambassador?" I gave a soft laugh. "You think an assassin will be good for that?"

"Well...then I'll still need someone as an advisor in politics and you are good at that at least."

"Why are you trying to get me to fill these positions?" I asked.

"Rykah is a noble, but as an advisor to the King, it would put you up in our ranks. I'm just thinking about how she'll be looked at if it comes out to the people that you're her...lover."

I sighed. "Do what you want. I'll always stick by her until she doesn't want me."

"I'll make you my advisor if I'm King. Maker knows I'll need it."

"I'm going back to bed. We'll be leaving in the morning. Make sure everyone knows that."

He nodded and I closed the door.

I set our swords on the desk and shed my pants again.

I climbed under the blankets with Rykah and pulled her close.

She made a soft mumble and put her cheek on my shoulder.

xXx

We headed out after breakfast with the King and a few minutes on the surface for our new dwarf companion to get used to the sky.

Wynne tried to get me to talk about myself, but I think the way I took my past lightly made her think I was lying.

We followed the route on the map as far as we could before night started coming.

Rykah dished out the nightly orders and I noticed Alistair looked at her differently.

He was seriously considering becoming King.

He'd hate it, and would constantly feel inadequate, but eventually he would fall into it.

We made our fire and ate a good meal.

As Rykah headed for her tent, I helped clean up.

Maybe she would eventually find some man who suited her tastes and position, but I'd stay in the background, keeping her safe. Even from her husband if needed.

I moved towards her tent. She hadn't said I couldn't sleep with her still.

She was already stripped down and under the blankets when I climbed in.

I shed my clothes and armor neatly and slid in beside her.

She cuddled up to me.

I paused as I thought of how it was nearly a month since we first met.

Traveling had a way of throwing the sense of time off.

I turned to curl up with her and she put her back to my chest.

xXx

We finally found Haven.

Three days of wandering in the mountains had paid off.

The locals looked at us like we were a plague.

As we crowded into the only store to ask questions, I watched Rykah browse the shelves while Wynne turned her charm on the man.

He gave us hardly nothing and told us to go speak to the Father.

We headed out and I was just turning to head back in as I didn't see Rykah when she came out fixing her pack closed.

Alistair led the way to the Chantry building.

We walked in, interrupting their service.

I looked at Ogrhen.

"Just once, I'd love to walk in to a place like this and see something unusual. Maybe an orgy."

He huffed a laugh. "That would be funny."

"Right?"

I caught the dry look from Alistair, Lelianna, and Rykah.

I didn't catch what started the fight, but when the local men attacked us, we quickly put them down.

No killing, as instructed by Rykah.

She made to the secret room and we found Brother Genitivi on the floor.

He was wounded, but a combination of healing magic and bandaging fixed him up.

He excitedly told us what he had found once we explained we were here to help him help the Arl.

He leaned on Alistair for support and started to lead us to the shrine of Andraste. Her supposed burial grounds.

xXx

Things kind of passed in a blur for me from there.

I'm sure no one really appreciated my comments on the statuary around the shrine, but it did prove that I wasn't uneducated.

We made our way to a Dragon's den.

Little dragonlings defending their nest from us.

I tried not to hurt them too badly as we made our way forward.

It wasn't their fault we needed to get by.

As we came to some lunatics, Rykah tried to talk them out of a fight.

They refused once they realized we weren't going to do what they wanted.

Several died, but the two I put down were merely badly wounded.

We continued on and I caught the smile from Rykah. She was glad I wasn't killing. Even the baby dragons.

We came out to an open cliff and I could honestly feel terror.

The Archdemon was ugly, but this Dragon scared me more.

Something about the fact that it was in complete control of itself. It was an intelligent creature.

This thing could slaughter us if it wanted.

It seemed content to just lay on the cliff.

As we passed a gong, I saw Ogrhen move to kick it and blocked his boot with my leg.

"Don't set that thing off." I hissed at him.

He grumbled as we headed inside the real temple.

The Guardian met us.

As he tried to play on hidden guilt and fears to test our worth, I listened.

"Are you still hurt by your parents deaths? Do you think that things would have been different if you'd stayed?"

"I..." Rykah started. "I don't know. I'd probably be dead, I wouldn't have become a Warden..." She wrapped her arms around herself.

"Way to play on her pain." Alistair snapped.

"And you, mister 'afraid of your own blood' can speak? How many nights did you spend wishing your father had accepted you as his own? Wishing now that maybe, just maybe your younger brother wouldn't have had to become King and it would have been you dead on that battlefield?"

I watched Alistair swallow thickly.

He wished he'd taken Cailan's place?

The man turned towards our other friends as I reached to pull Rykah closer to me.

He didn't get much from Sten, and Lelianna clammed up as well. Morrigan threatened to use her magic on him if he spoke to her. Wynne he looked at and she covered her mouth with her hand and looked down, knowing what he would bring up.

He didn't even get to speak before Ogrhen stopped him to admit his guilts.

I flinched as he spoke my name.

"Zevran Arainai. The assassin Crow. How is it now that you failed the last woman you cared for so completely yet think that you won't stab this one in the back? That all the blood on your hands won't come back to haunt you?"

I looked up at him.

"Rinna was different. I cared, yes, but nothing like now. I don't miss Rinna. And I live with my past every day. I live knowing that even someone like me deserves a second chance when they find it."

He seemed to smile. "Enjoy your challenges. May you make it through them alive."

He vanished in a flash of light.

I looked down at Rykah.

"Maybe he's right. Maybe I didn't try hard enough."

I scoffed. "Bullshit." She looked up at me. "You did the right thing, leaving with the old Warden. Your father was a dead man as it stood and your mother would have wasted away at losing him. It is better they went together. And no parent would sit by and watch their child die." I said.

She nodded. I looked over at Alistair. "Don't stress it. Wishing for things like that is normal. He was your King, and your younger brother. It is an older sibling's job to try to protect the younger. You were doing the best you could given the situation you were put in by the previous generation."

He nodded.

"Are we going in or not?" I asked.

Rykah nodded. "I think only a couple of us should go in."

The others nodded and she pulled Alistair, myself, and Fenrir aside to go in.

No one took it as a sign she didn't trust them.

Everyone knew she only thought of the best interest.

"On second thought..." She looked at me. "I'm sorry, but I think Lelianna should come instead."

I sighed but nodded.

As she turned to leave, I snagged her wrist.

"You be careful, alright?" I leaned in to look her in the eyes.

"Of course." She nodded.

I looked up at Alistair as she turned away and the man nodded.

He'd keep her as safe as he could.

I caught the soft look on Morrigan's face as I turned away from the leaving group.

xXx

My nerves were about shot when Rykah and the others finally came back.

She had a scrape across her left knuckles and a cut on her right cheek.

I rushed to her, uncaring how it seemed to the others.

Alistair and Lelianna excitedly relaid their trip and I ignored it in favor of pulling my kit from my bag.

I put several drops of the pain numbing liquid on a small cloth to put over her knuckles before tightly wrapping her hand.

I found a piece of sticky bandaging and tore off a small strip from the roll. This was what I had once used on my own hard to wrap wounds.

I dabbed a couple drops onto the center and carefully covered her cut with it.

She looked up at me.

"You said you'd be careful." I softly chided her.

"I...I was. I had to fight a shadow of myself. It was...harder than I thought."

I sighed. I moved to put my kit away and stood up again.

She looked almost sad.

I reached to cup her uninjured cheek in my palm.

"You did it though. Now the Arl can be saved."

She nodded.

"Lets head back to Redcliff." She said.

I nodded.

xXx

Our trip out of Haven was uneventful.

No one disturbed the Dragon, the town was barrenly quiet, and no one attacked us.

We came into Redcliff at nearly sundown.

Just in time to catch a night of sleep.

Rykah passed over the ashes and the Arl was revived.

His brother filled him in as we collected ourselves in guest rooms for the night, exhausted from traveling.

I shrugged out of my armor and hung it on the rack provided for it and Rykah put hers up as well.

I was just getting ready to pull my shirt off with her hands snaking around my waist when the knock sounded on the door.

I made a low growl as I pulled away from her to open it.

The Bann stood there with his brother.

"Sorry to disturb you." He started to turn away.

"Looking for the Warden?"

He nodded.

I pulled the door fully open.

"I wasn't aware she was there with you."

"I'm good at relaxing sore muscles. I was going to give her a massage and then leave her to sleep." I said as both men stepped into the room.

"Don't lie Zev." She said. "These men are my peers." She looked at them both. "Zev and I are together. Does that bother you?"

The Arl looked at me and laughed before coughing.

He looked back at her.

"You're as headstrong as your mother. Your parents would be proud of you. And I don't think they would mind your choice nearly as much as others would think. I think I would know love when I see it. I just wanted to thank you personally for everything. Teagan told me Isolde offered herself to save our son. He said that you tried to sway her from it, but that there just wasn't time for another tactic. I'm glad she is still alive and slowly getting better. All thanks to you."

Rykah had a pained expression for a moment at the mention of her parents and I moved to stand beside her.

The two men looked at her. "I'm extremely grateful. I'll talk more with you in the morning. Please get some rest."

She nodded and I moved away long enough to close the door.

She sat on the large bed and I eased in behind her.

I started massaging her shoulders and she slumped against me.

"I...would my parents accept you?" She mumbled.

"I would like to see them tell you no if you chose me." I said.

She smiled.

Her face lit up and she bolted up.

I frowned as she went to her bag.

"Close your eyes." She said. She looked at me. "And no peeking."

I obeyed.

I heard her rustling in her pack before I felt her put something in my hands.

"Look." She said.

I opened my eyes as I ran my fingers over the faintly familiar leather.

My mind was blown as I gaped at the newest gift.

"I saw them in that shop in Haven and I don't know how they got there, or why they were still there when we walked in, but..."

I stared down at the deep brown Antivan leather boots. Sturdy enough to be dependable in a fight, soft enough to be comfortable walking for hours.

The plush feel of the leather was amazing.

I brought them up to my face.

They even smelled faintly like home.

She sat beside me. "Do you not like them?" She sounded unsure.

I shook my head. "This is wonderful my love. I didn't think you'd even remember me talking about the ones I'd wanted before."

She blushed slightly.

"I just...I saw them and the man was more than happy to hand them over for a couple silver to get me out of there. I think he might have given them away if I'd been there longer or tried to barter with him." She reached to trace over the fine stitching. "I liked the look of them. And they'd fit so well with your armor."

She looked worried. "Will they even fit?"

I kicked my boots off and slid the new ones on.

They were so comfortable, and they fit perfectly.

"I love them." I said. I moved to kiss her after taking them back off. "Thank you."

She nodded.

"I know you miss Antiva...so I thought maybe these would help." She said.

"They are perfect Rykah. You spoil me."

She smiled. "It's just nice to give you things you'll like."

I set the boots on the floor and reached to pull her close.

She pushed my shirt over my head as I eased her clothes off.

We made love gently and quietly.

I loved it.

Never doing the same thing twice in a row.

Every time was just as good as the last.

I just had to love the way she felt in my arms.

I loved her.

As I spilled into her with that thought in my head, I forgot to keep her quiet.

Her cry was muffled by her pulling me down for a kiss herself.

She sighed as I moved to lay on my side.

I wrapped the blankets around us as she curled in against me.

I looked at the window on the far wall.

How could I have fallen so hard so quickly?

I could admit to being an easy lover, but I never loved anyone.

But this...this feeling of never wanting her hurt, of wanting to wake up with her in my arms every day, of wanting to be at her side forever...it was love.

I just knew it.

And it made my heart ache to think on how much longer we'd have together.

Her fight with that monster would likely kill us all.

I held her close and listened to her even breathing.

She always slept so easy in my arms.

I buried my face in her hair and tried to sleep.

xXx

The Arl met us for breakfast, quickly regaining his strength.

I let the talk go over my head as I mused on my revelations from last night.

I glanced at Rykah in a heated discussion with the Arl at the end of the table.

Her gray eyes glittered in the morning light filtering through the windows.

She looked full of energy.

Alistair nudged my boot under the table.

"What's up Arainai? You're awfully quiet today."

"Sorry. Just don't feel so good today is all."

He shrugged, but I caught the worried look from Rykah as she listened to us.

I stood up and went to head for the library.

I closed the doors behind me and sank into the soft chair beside the window.

I stared out over the town below until I heard footsteps coming closer.

"Yes?" I spoke up.

"You said you weren't feeling good." Wynne sat in the chair across from me.

"It's not anything to heal." I said.

"Ah." She nodded. "It's something you're not sure how to handle. How novel I would think."

I scoffed and lowered my hand from my chest where I'd been rubbing over my heart.

"Zervan, you are a man, and men do occasionally fall in love with the woman they choose. You care quite a lot for the Warden, I've seen it. And now you must face the fact that you love her."

"I'm an assassin, we don't do love."

"But you aren't anymore. You're the Warden's partner, her confidant, and her lover. You haven't killed anyone lately."

"Hasn't been worth it. But I'll find another job eventually."

She laughed. "No, you and I both know you've changed since meeting her. If how your old partner reacted was any indication, you were once one of the best the Crows had."

"Still am one of the best." I mumbled.

"I've no doubt in that. But now you're more than just a killer for hire. She loves you as much as you love her, believe that. She'll keep it from you, thinking it would just tie you to her and she knows how much she'd hate that being done to you."

I frowned. "How do you know this?"

Wynne laughed again. "I'm old Zevran, I listen when people talk and they come to me for advice. She sought my advice recently on how to approach the subject with you, given you had said something before about not loving anyone."

"She...wants to say it to me?" I sighed.

"I'm sure it is bothering her as well. Perhaps you should talk to her about it."

I sighed.

She stood up and went to leave.

She touched my arm. "Really boy, I'm sorry your past was so filled with pain, but you have a future to look forward to."

I listened to her leave.

xXx

It was almost mid day when Rykah came to find me.

I'd curled myself up with a book hidden in a dusty corner.

It must have been something no one had found since this place was built, it was so covered in dust.

It was the collected scribblings of numerous young Grey Wardens who had watched their master and mentor kill the last Archdemon.

I snapped it closed more forcibly than I'd intended when I heard her coming.

Rykah gave me a soft look as she moved to lean against the chair.

"We're getting ready to head for the Arl's estate for preparation for the Landsmeet.."

"Ah. Alright. I'll gather my things." I moved to stand up.

She leaned in before I could fully get up and kissed me.

I settled back again, but she leaned away.

"I'll...be waiting with the others."

She looked unsure of herself as she turned to leave.

I held on to the book as I headed for the room I'd shared with her here and collected my bag and put on my armor.

I set the book inside my small pack and closed the door behind me.

xXx

It was a two day trip to the city and I felt slightly bad about leaving her alone in her tent when we camped.

I sat against the tree next to it and listened to her toss for over an hour.

It almost made me break down and join her.

But I needed to think on what I had read from that book.

We walked into the gates of his estate and everyone hurried to make the place presentable.

The Arl and his brother immediately set out requesting his allies to come and stand on our side.

I found a suitable place to finish reading the book as Rykah tried to talk to Alistair at the other end of the room.

Sometimes assassin hearing had an advantage.

"I don't really want to be King."

"Alistair, you need to. Ferelden needs someone who is strong of heart and character."

"And what's wrong with its Queen?"

Rykah sighed. "She is not of royal blood and eventually, especially with how Loghain has been acting, she'll get turned on by the very people who once supported her thinking she is exactly like him."

Alistair made several other attempts to deny his birthright.

He needed to face it. Rykah was relentless and persuasive and his beloved Ferelden did need him. As a King.

When they left, I stood up.

It was nearing dinner and I needed to talk to someone about this book. Someone who wasn't a Warden.

xXx

I found Morrigan in her room and abruptly sat across from her at the table.

"Did I invite you?" She snapped.

"Look, hate me if you want, but you need to listen." I said. She gave me a blank look. I flipped the book open. "This is a record of what happened to the last Archdemon and Warden who killed it."

She frowned as she scanned the page I had selected. It was the most concise piece I could find.

"I see." She said.

"Can you find some way to prevent it?" I asked.

"If you don't want Rykah dying, perhaps you should arrange it so Alistair does the deed." She said.

"He can't. He's a good soldier, but he doesn't have the heart of a killer like I do. That thing will mentally overpower him through the Taint and Rykah will still end up having to kill it."

She sighed. "I can look through my things and perhaps find something about it."

I stood up. "Thank you."

"You do love that woman, don't you?"

I turned away from her. "Maybe, but she'll have to find someone who better suits her eventually."

Morrigan laughed. "And you don't? I've watched everyone in this group. Believe me Arainai, you suit her very well. And if she honestly cared about status, she wouldn't have become a Warden."

"I just want her to be alive after she kills that monster." I said as I headed for the door.

xXx

It wasn't even an hour past dinner when the Queen's maid was shown into the estate.

I looked at the elf. She seemed terrified.

Rykah listened and quickly decided to rescue the Queen from Howe's hands.

She collected together Alistair, myself, and Fenrir to go in as a small team.

I could understand picking myself and her dog, but Alistair was dead weight.

I didn't say anything as we geared up in our room.

As we came to the gates of the estate, Rykah pulled me aside.

"What's the matter Zev? You've been really quiet lately."

I shook my head. "I'm just thinking about the things that could happen soon." I said. Close enough to the truth to not feel like a lie. Just a bit obscure.

She sighed. "My mother used to say: don't think about the future that could happen, think about what will happen if you make your choices."

I nodded. "If I have my choice, what I fear will never happen."

"And what is that?" She asked.

I reached to touch her cheek. "Losing you."

She smiled as her hand covered my gloved one.

"You'll never lose me Zev."

How little she did know.

I could only hope Morrigan could find something to save them both.

xXx

We snuck in with a bit of help from the girl.

Our sneaking was fruitless as we came to the magically barred door.

"I'm afraid there has been a bit of a setback." The Queen said.

No shit?

My face must have been saying it because Rykah cracked a smile and Alistair almost laughed.

"We'll find the mage, and make him drop this spell."

Morrigan probably could have broken it. But that would have given away our sneakiness.

I followed Rykah down to the lower level and we made our way past traps and guards.

She was just too adorable as she tried to sneak around.

When we came across a room where Howe was torturing a young man, I watched her tense up.

"Seems our plan rather failed." Howe said. He sneered at me. "Should have expected it from an Elf."

"Don't blame me. You lot never told me she was a beautiful woman. I don't make a habit of killing beautiful women." I said.

He spat at me. "Useless."

"Why did you kill my parents?" Rykah asked.

"Your father was weak."

I pushed myself to not listen to him goading her.

It would have made me too mad to fight calmly.

She rushed him as she drew both swords and Alistair and I took on the four guards with him.

Fenrir helped his master and it wasn't long before the man was laying at his feet.

He spat out some more foul words and even called Rykah some bad names.

I put my sword through his heart.

She looked extremely emotionally hurt, but physically she was safe.

I reached out to pull her close as Alistair set the young man free.

He thanked us and said he'd get his family to support the Wardens.

Rykah shuddered and I moved to lead her out.

xXx

Finding the mage was easier after that.

We set numerous people free, including another Warden.

He claimed to need a bit of rest before he could fight with them, so Alistair told him to head for the estate.

When we found the mage and took out his guards, he just about pissed himself in fear. Rykah intimidated him into dropping the spell and the moment he did, I knocked him out.

We hurried back up to the room and I picked the lock on the door deftly.

"Good thing I've never tried to lock you out." Alistair joked.

"Indeed, it wouldn't be much of a deterrent now would it?" I pulled the door open.

The Queen was a woman of my height, but dressed up in the same guard uniform as us.

We followed Rykah to get out of this place.

xXx

I should have known shit would go south.

That sinking feeling had gotten stronger since reading that book and now it was happening.

Loghain's men blocked our path and the Queen claimed kidnapping.

I stepped forward as the guards moved to attack Rykah and Alistair.

Anora grabbed my arm and tried to pull me away.

Her maid attempted to take hold of Fenrir's collar, but he snapped at her.

I understood what they were trying to do now.

This wasn't a battle any of us could win. Not in this setting.

Rykah was going to be captured regardless.

The Wardens would be taken prisoner.

I reached to grab hold of Fenrir's collar and he hesitated at snapping when he realized it was me.

I yanked him away and let the Queen lead us out.

No one stopped us during that commotion.

We made it out to the streets and hurried through the alleys.

I stumbled as we caught sight of the gates of the estate.

Anora pulled me inside and I shoved her away.

"How could you leave them behind like that? We should have fought." I said sharply.

"I need to see Eamon before dealing with your bickering." She snapped.

Fenrir growled at her.

The Arl came to us in the entry.

She tried to explain the situation.

"I don't know why I don't just cut her throat and throw her in the river." I said.

"Because she is still the Queen and this can be fixed." The Arl gave me a sharp look.

I clenched my fists.

"And we should be preparing for the Landsmeet."

"We need Rykah and Alistair." I snapped.

She tried to glare at me. "No, he's right Anora. Some of our allies are only coming because of the Wardens. Without them there, they might default to your father anyway."

"But..."

"No. Zevran, choose someone to go with you and bring them back. You can sneak in easiest, I'd recommend Lelianna as another stealthy person."

"Fen and I will go." I said.

The Mabari gave a sharp bark of approval.

I sighed as I turned for the door.

"Wait. I can provide the layout for you. In my archives is the maps for almost all royal buildings in this city."

I nodded.

He turned to lead me to the library and pulled a large, dusty, leather bound book from a shelf.

I watched him flip it open and saw detailed drawings of the floor plans for several buildings.

He opened up to the ones he wanted and I looked at it.

I studied it for a moment.

"Alright. I've got it." I said.

"Good. Then come sit down and calm down for a minute."

"They could be being tortured." I said.

He put his hand on my shoulder.

"And you being hasty and reckless will help how? Rykah was telling me how you were a master assassin. This attitude does not fit that at all."

"The woman I care for is imprisoned by a madman and possibly hurt."

"I understand you love her, but you need to be the level-headed one. I'm sure her warbeast will only be calm as long as you are."

I reached to pet Fen's head.

The Arl was right. Fenrir had turned to me as the leader once away from Rykah.

I took a deep breath.

"Alright." I sighed. "I'll be calm by the time I leave." I said.

He nodded. "Good. It will help more for you both to be able to sneak inside."

I nodded.

xXx

Honestly, getting in wasn't hard.

Fen put on a good show as a trick dog.

The guards were more than alright to let us in for a 'birthday' show.

It didn't surprise me in the least.

They thought they won. Since Rykah was locked up.

I felt uneasy without my weapons or armor, but if I got in trouble, my knives would see me through.

We snuck around, setting off timed traps as needed for distraction.

I did finally come to a corridor that was more heavily guarded.

And these ones wouldn't budge for a distraction.

"Now listen Fen." I knelt beside him.

He tilted his head at me.

"There are four of them. You try to keep at least two of them occupied and I'll deal with the other two."

He snuffed a nod to me.

I glanced carefully around the corner.

I held out my hand and counted down silently.

When I closed my fist around my knife, he launched around the corner, a snarling, frothing mass of muscle.

I followed right behind as the guards didn't get a chance to yell out.

Fenrir was on the closest one and bit into his neck.

The man pushed away, holding his throat.

If he got help now, he might just live.

Not that I cared.

I rushed under the blade of one of my targets and put one knife in his side through a chink in his armor.

The other caught his blade on my sleeve and I moved before it could cut me too.

Fenrir put the other out of his misery as I slammed the hilt of my knife into my opponents jaw.

He went down like a wet sack.

We stepped past them into a prison room.

I looked across the room to see their cell.

Fenrir snatched up a cloth in his mouth and I reached to take it.

It was Rykah's shirt.

I turned to the table and saw their armor and clothes and weapons.

I gathered it up, making him carry Alistairs clothes at least.

I honestly didn't want to touch them.

We hurried over to the cell and I dropped everything to pull the pin from my boot and unlock the door.

I yanked it open and pulled Rykah into my arms.

"Hello my beautiful Warden. Did you miss me?"

She made a laugh.

"Of course I did." Alistair reached for his clothes from Fenrir and Rykah stepped away to collect her own.

They dressed and I looked at Alistair. "Did they..."

"No. Stripped us both to this and left us in here."

"I could have handled it if they had tried to force me to do anything." Rykah said.

I sighed. "Not if there were too many. I know you'd fight, but there is a limit."

I pulled her close again as she finished putting her armor on.

She put her head against my shoulder. "I knew you'd come for me."

"Always." I mumbled against her hair.

"Come on." Alistair said as he gripped his sword and shield again.

Rykah held out one of her swords to me.

"I've got my knives." I said as I pulled them from my boots again.

She nodded but I could still see the worry in her eyes.

"I'll be fine love, I got in here didn't I?"

"But..."

"He's right. He can handle himself. Now lets get out of here." Alistair hissed at us.

I nodded.

I let Rykah take the lead and pointed out where to go.

Nothing stood in her way this time.

xXx

We made it back to the estate with no problems.

I headed for the room the Arl was going to let Rykah use.

I'd left my clothes and armor in there to wear this getup.

Rykah shed her armor as I changed.

We went to meet with the Arl.

Alistair was talking to the Warden we'd freed from Howe.

I hugged Rykah again and she put her arms around me.

"You talk with them. I'm going to go relax now." I said.

She nodded. "Alright. I'll...see you at bed?"

I nodded as I stepped away.

I left her with them.

I hurried as I went to go find Morrigan.

xXx

The witch was in the library looking through several of her grimoires.

I sat at the table.

"Must you bother me elf?"

"Have you found anything?" I asked.

"I think so. I'm looking to see how exactly my mother wrote it to go, but it should work if I can find the things I need."

I sighed. "Thank you."

"Yes, go bother someone else."

I stood up and headed for the door, that sinking feeling a little lighter.

Maybe I wouldn't have to lose her after all.

xXx

'Someone else' turned out to be Wynne in the kitchen.

I sat at the counter on a little stool as she helped the cook make up something for everyone to drink now that things had settled down.

"I'm sure you're her hero now."

"I'm just me." I said.

Wynne laughed. "You? I can't see you being ordinary in any way." She pulled a tray of bread from the oven and the warm scent filled the room.

"I'm not a hero though."

"I'm pretty sure to Rykah, you're a different kind of hero, but you still are one to her."

I scoffed as I snatched a roll from the pile she was making.

I juggled it for a moment trying to cool it.

"Serves you right." She huffed. "Take a couple and these mugs and go find your love."

She pointed to the small tray with two mugs on it and I put several meat and cheese stuffed rolls on it to take with me.

"And for goodness sake Zevran, tell the woman how you feel. Before she goes off crazy against a monster."

I nodded and took the tray with me.

Sometimes Wynne did have good advice.

xXx

I found Rykah as she was heading inside our room.

I followed her in.

"Wynne made the rolls, the cook made the hot cider." I said.

Rykah sighed as she took the mug I held out.

"Well...today was definitely different."

I moved to sit beside her on the bed.

"I don't ever want to lose you again." I said.

"I'm sorry. You were probably pretty worried."

I nodded. "I was. I even threatened to kill the Queen."

Rykah laughed. "I wish I could have seen that."

"I'm glad you didn't. I was very angry at her." I took a drink of the cider.

It was quite good.

She pulled a small bottle from her sleeve and held it up.

"The Arl pulled this from his shelf before I left. He said you might be wanting it tonight."

I took it as she held it out to me.

I popped the cork off and sniffed.

"Where did he get this?" I asked.

"No idea. What is it?"

"Antivan Brandy. I'm actually surprised he'd have it."

"Why?"

"It's not the best to drink out there. In fact, unless you have a taste for it, it's not that good." I took a sip of it and held it out to her.

Tasted just like I was used to.

She took a tiny sip and scrunched up her face.

"Give me your mug." I said as I took the bottle back.

She held her mug out, slightly confused until I poured some of the brandy into it.

She tasted it.

"That...isn't so bad."

"It really can't be drunk straight unless you're used to it." I said.

She nodded.

I watched her take a roll from the tray and bite into it.

"This is good." She mumbled.

She held it up and I took a bite from it.

It was good.

I finished off my cider and set the mug on the bedside table.

Rykah cleared up the roll she held and another before finishing her drink.

I reached up to touch my earring.

I often told others they were a souvenir from my first job, but they weren't. I bought them with the pay from that job, but I had just been passing the shop window when they caught my eye.

I'd liked them. The simple gold earrings were somehow stylized, yet still plain enough to not be noticed.

I started to pull my right one off.

Rykah looked at me as I held it.

"I...want you to have this."

She frowned. "But, isn't this something special?" She asked.

I nodded. "I got it from my first job and these earrings have been with me ever since."

"I couldn't take something so important Zev."

"I want you to have it. You...are even more important to me." I said.

She took it hesitantly.

I watched her carefully remove the tiny silver loop in her right earlobe to replace it with my gold earring.

She held the silver one out to me.

"These were the very first earrings my mother bought me. They're some of the oldest things I have and they mean the most to me."

I took it carefully and put it on.

She cracked a smile.

"We look like idiots. Mismatched earrings."

I smiled. "No, there are two matches, but we have to be together for them to be whole."

She blushed.

"Zev...are you..."

I turned to look away.

"I...I don't want you fighting the Archdemon. Or getting into any kind of danger Rykah." She went to speak but I put my finger over her lips. "I just want you safe because...I love you."

I watched her tear up.

She reached to pull me closer to her.

I didn't resist when she kissed me. Instead I held her against me.

"I love you too Zevran."

xXx

I'm not sure if it was the brandy or if saying she loved me finally made her feel free, but I wasn't going to complain.

She was absolutely stunning as I made love to her, slow and sweet, using every skill ever drilled into me as a Crow.

She didn't seem reserved at all, crying out at my touches and touching me in turn.

I finally didn't feel that sinking feeling that I would lose her.

She wasn't going to just up and marry someone on me. And I'd do whatever it took to not let her be ridiculed in society because of my being an elf. Even if someday that did mean making myself seem human like Taliesen had once tormented me about.

I know she'd hate it, but if others made fun of her for my elf looks, I'd remove them. The people or my elven looks were still on debate.

But I would never let anyone shame her for her choice to love me.

I worshiped her body and made her scream my name without even being in her.

"Please Zev...I need you."

I growled at the look on her face. So filled with lust and love.

I wanted to see it more. No one had ever looked at me like that.

No one other than her.

I slid into her welcoming body and she wrapped her arms around my shoulders.

I pushed her into a faster pace than I'd ever taken her before, but she didn't seem to mind it.

In fact, she seemed to like it.

"Rykah?"

"Hmm?" She moaned.

"Promise me you'll try to keep yourself safe." I kissed her.

She looked up at me. "I'll try." She sounded breathless.

I liked it.

I reached to rub her center and sent her over the edge.

She cried out and I groaned her name as I came with her.

I pressed my body against hers to feel every inch of her against me while we caught our breath.

I eased to lay beside her and she cuddled up against me.

I wrapped my arms around her and listened to her heartbeat lull into a sleep rate.

It was relaxing.

I touched the tiny gold loop on her right ear as her cheek settled on my shoulder.

What did she take this as a sign of?

If Morrigan could make sure the Wardens survived, then I wanted to stay with Rykah.

Forever.

I'd make sure no one ever hunted her again. I would take out the entire Crow organization if I had to in order to keep her safe from them.

Nothing would take her from me ever again.

It had terrified me thinking about the thought of her being tortured, mutilated, raped...it still made me shiver to think of her being gone.

Like taking a lighthouse out on the coast.

Some might not think about it, but those of us who followed that light like the beacon it was would sink back into their old lives.

And hell knows if I returned like that to the Crows, even the top of the tier would fear me going off the deep end. Taliesen had seen it once and admitted fear of me.

The day they had taken the one thing I'd had left of my heritage, I snapped.

My next mission was nearly a single handed massacre of all nine targets.

And I had been thirteen.

I was stronger, faster, and even deadlier now that I was older.

I looked at the window.

No, no one would take her from me. Where my heart once wanted the darkness of death, I craved her light.

I held her close and listened to her breathing.

It eventually lulled me into sleep.

xXx

It was two days of helping settle things around the city the way Rykah was good at before the Landsmeet was in order.

We'd found evidence against Loghain of smuggling elves as trade.

Rykah had been suitably pissed off.

I still grinned at the sight of her confronting the trader.

He'd acted cocky, up until he tried to bargain with her for me.

She had single handedly grabbed him and yanked him down.

Her gray eyes were steel then.

Right in front of our entire group, she had admitted to loving me.

She had threatened him with death then and there if he didn't release all the elves he'd taken prisoner and hand over the documents incriminating Loghain and leave to never return to these shores.

I think the man just about wet himself at how cold she had been.

My grin probably didn't help then either.

When he saw it and Alistair's smirk and Lelianna's smile, he knew he'd pulled the wrong straw.

Never take a bone from a warbeast. It was a saying even in Antiva. To Rykah, I was her bone.

It did make me happy that she had claimed me as hers finally.

They all knew she was my only love for a bit now apparently.

I woke up the morning of the Landsmeet to Rykah toying with my braids.

I looked up at her as I turned to my back.

"Did you finish your little mission last night?" I asked.

I had gone to bed without her beside me after she said she'd be up late playing matchmaker for Eamon.

She nodded. "Alistair has agreed to marry Anora and become...well, her pawn really, but he gets to keep being a soldier too, so that makes him happier. She's satisfied to marry him as long as she remains Queen and the people love her. She rules, he fights, it'll work out."

"Good." I sighed. "We have to go to this thing, don't we?"

She nodded.

"I really can't just lay here in bed with you all day?" I asked as I pulled her against me.

She sighed.

"As much as I want to, no."

I made a low laugh. "But you do want to."

"Of course Zev." She pushed away. "Perhaps later. We'll come hide and just stay in here, all day tomorrow."

I laughed as I let her up.

"You know that'll never happen. You're too much in demand to sneak away." I said.

She pulled her clothes and armor on and settled her swords properly as I got up.

"I'll tell everyone I'm sick." She said as I pulled my things on.

I laughed. "That'll never work. You know Wynne can see through that."

"She'll understand though. She always does."

I moved to pull her close after settling my swords.

I leaned in to kiss her.

"Do we really have to show up?" I asked.

"You are free to stay here. I do have to show up."

I sighed as she opened the door.

I pulled her close again.

"We. I'm staying with you until you tell me to leave." I said.

"I'll never say it." She mumbled.

She pushed away to head for the main doors.

I shook my head as I followed her.

Someday, I wouldn't be the one she loved and slept with.

I'll always love her, and always protect her, but eventually she'd find a human man who suited her.

xXx

We walked in with Alistair as Loghain was arguing with the Arl.

"And there is your puppeteer."

I moved to stand behind Rykah to the right as she stepped forward.

I ignored his words, knowing how false they were.

I kept my eyes on the men he had brought.

It didn't matter what happened here today verbally.

He intended to kill us all.

When he challenged to a dual, he asked who on our side would be the champion.

I started to volunteer, but Rykah stepped forward.

"I will fight." She said.

Everyone stepped back to give them room and I clenched my fists.

I'd asked her to try and stay safe.

Why couldn't she just listen and let Alistair fight?

No, that wouldn't work.

If he killed Loghain, Anora would never marry him and all Rykah's hard won plans would go south. And I knew how much she hated not saving people.

But watching her fight both terrified and amazed me.

She moved so fluidly.

It was beautiful to watch her.

I caught a glimpse of one of Loghain's men gripping his sword to draw as it seemed Loghain was going to lose.

I was a flash of glinting metal before putting my own sword at the guard's throat.

Loghain hit the floor on his knees behind me.

"I...I concede defeat." He said.

Rykah sighed.

One of his other guards tried to pull out his sword and my other aimed at him.

"Don't even think on it."

Loghain stood and left his sword on the ground.

He looked at them for a moment and me before turning back to face Rykah.

"I haven't seen your kind of strength and conviction since...Cailan's father."

That was a good compliment.

I watched the two guards let go of their swords and sheathed my own again.

"Please, finish this." Loghain said.

"But father..." Anora started.

"Hush. I have lived long enough. And I know I did wrong things. But I did raise you, and I suppose this stupid young Warden does have a few traits of his father." Loghain admitted.

I looked at Alistair.

"He'll be good enough to support you as Queen." Loghain said.

He looked at Rykah.

"Now, please end this."

I looked up as Riordan came in.

"Wait." He started.

I listened as he tried to convince Rykah to put Loghain through the Joining.

Alistair gaped at him.

"After what he did to the Wardens, you'd want him to join us?" He looked at Rykah. "He joins, I quit."

Rykah shook her head as Loghain shook his head as well.

"I am not worthy of that." He said. "I accept my death."

Rykah held up her sword.

Would she do it?

Anora turned away as Rykah brought it down.

For all her dislike of killing, she did make his death quick and painless.

She looked sick as she turned away and headed for the door.

I moved to follow her.

The moment the doors closed behind us, I pulled her close.

She gripped my jacket and cried.

"That was...so hard." She mumbled. "Even...after all he did, I..." I shushed her as I heard the doors opening again.

She tried to pull herself together as I urged her into a side room.

Alistair and Anora followed.

The Queen looked mad.

Alistair seemed to be trying to get her to calm down.

Rykah's breathing was ragged as she couldn't stop crying.

I moved to the couch in the sitting room and pulled her close.

"How could-" Anora started as she pushed into the room.

She caught sight of Rykah curled on my lap, crying.

"See, Rykah isn't a killer Anora." Alistair said.

I felt Rykah trying to stop shaking as he closed the door.

"She..." Anora started.

"Rykah hates killing." I said.

Alistair moved to kneel beside the couch and touched her shoulder.

She shook harder and I saw the pain and understanding stay on Anora's face even as the anger left.

"Just let us be." I said to Alistair.

He nodded. "Take her back to the estate. I'll try to settle things out for her." He said. "And...I'll arrange a proper funeral for Loghain. I think...he was under the influence of a Demon. Like Eamon's son."

I nodded. It made sense how he went crazy after so long being a good man to everyone.

Alistair urged Anora out of the room.

Rykah still hadn't spoken as I lifted her in my arms and moved to carry her out.

I ignored the few people in the entry as I left.

xXx

As we walked back to the estate, I kept her hand in mine.

She was still quiet when we walked into the estate.

I led her to our room and closed the door.

"Baby, please talk to me." I said.

She shook as she stood in front of the bed and I carefully removed her armor and set it to the side.

I shed my own and hung them both up as I finally heard her take a deep breath.

"Zev..." I turned to face her and was at her side in two steps. "Did I do the wrong thing?"

I sighed. "No." I pulled her close. "Alistair is probably right. Being controlled by a Demon does seem to be the most logical explanation for his crazy behavior. And we all know that instances like the Arl's son are few and far between. That boy being a Mage is probably the only thing that will save him from being forever altered."

"But...why did he make me do it?"

"Because you have honor, compassion, and I think at the end, he realized how he'd been driven mad. You did very well. I'm proud of you. You might hate killing, but I'm glad you did it quickly. He didn't suffer or feel any pain."

"I don't ever want to do it again." She gripped my shirt.

"You only have one last thing to kill and then you'll never have to again."

"Right...the Archdemon." She mumbled.

I nodded. Maybe...if Morrigan did her thing, Alistair could be the one to kill it. Then Rykah could be spared from it.

"But at least that thing isn't human." I said. "And it needs to die."

She nodded.

"Lets go get something to eat. Alright baby?"

She looked up at me.

Her tears had finally dried.

"I like that." She finally smiled again. "You calling me baby like that."

I sighed. "You don't mind it?"

She shook her head. "It's nice. Endearing."

"I'll only say it when we're alone though. I don't want others getting the wrong impression."

She nodded and I started to lead her to the kitchen.

xXx

It was several days before everything was settled out.

We headed back to the Arl's home to prepare to face the Archdemon.

It was then that we learned it was heading for Denerim.

We would never make it in time to beat it there.

I listened as everyone panicked.

The troops quickly gathered and prepared to leave out at dawn.

Rykah and Alistair met with Riordan and I listened at the door.

Hearing the sound of her gasp as he told her that one of them would die from killing that thing hurt me so much.

I stepped away from the door as she as Alistair came out.

I followed behind her as she headed to our room.

"Zev...I..." She started. I pulled her close before we reached the door.

"I won't let you die Rykah."

She shuddered as I opened our door.

Morrigan stood in front of the fireplace.

"What did you need?" Rykah asked her, her voice slightly cracking.

"It's not what I need. It's what you need." Rykah looked confused. "I know you'll die fighting that thing. I've found a way to prevent that."

"But..."

"It is complicated. It involves Blood Magic from before it was called that. I can draw the Archdemon's soul from you when you kill it."

"How?"

"By taking it in myself. I know of a ritual that will cause my to conceive a child with the Taint, a Warden before even being born if you will, and the soul of that monster will go to my child instead of one of you. And I have high belief that not only will my child survive, but it will have the untainted soul of the Old God."

Rykah moved to sit on the bed. "And the price for this?"

"I only need you to convince Alistair to sleep with me tonight."

Rykah huffed a laugh. "Sounds so simple."

"It won't be. The ritual itself has already been done, but unless completed by conception, one of you will die." Morrigan said.

"I don't know. Blood Magic is dangerous." Rykah said. "And you'd be putting yourself in a lot of risk..."

Morrigan stepped towards her and kneeled with the softest expression I'd ever seen on her face.

"I know what I'm doing. If not for your own survival, do it for him." She motioned at me. "Could you really leave Zevran alone like that?" Rykah looked at me. "I will survive regardless. And so would all of you. I'm willing to sacrifice my own unborn child to see to it that you all survive. I know, very selfless of me, but I have come to care for you all during this little adventure."

Rykah sighed. "Alright." She said. She stood up. "I'll try and convince him. But what about Riordan?"

"I'd rather do Alistair. No offense, but I don't know your other Warden." She said.

Rykah nodded and she hurried out of the room.

I looked at Morrigan. "Thank you."

"I did this entirely for selfish reasons, I assure you." She shrugged as she headed out of the room.

I moved to sit on the bed.

xXx

It was a few minutes before Rykah came back.

"He didn't like the idea, but he'll do it." She said.

"Good. Because I don't want to have to force one of them to do it." I said. "And I would. It might be Blood Magic, but if she can save you, I'll do anything."

She came to sit beside me.

"You would too."

I nodded. I reached to cup her cheek. "I love you Rykah. And I don't ever want to lose you. I don't want to be a heartless killer again. Not now that I've had you in my life."

She moved to kiss me.

I sighed and let her push me back onto the bed.

"I don't want that either." She said.

I scooted back a bit and let her straddle me.

As her hands worked at removing my shirt, I slid mine to settle on her hips.

She gasped when I turned us both over to put her back on the bed.

I pushed up to shed my clothes and then moved to pull hers off as well.

We touched as if this might be our last night together still.

There was no telling what would happen tomorrow.

Even if she didn't get killed by the Archdemon, there was still a chance of me dying during a battle.

Rykah kissed me again as she seemed to sense me worrying.

"I'll keep you safe Zev."

I huffed a laugh. "Isn't it usually the other way around?"

"Yes, but sometimes I want you to be safe too."

"Only sometimes?"

She flushed. "All the time, but you normally handle yourself fine."

I nodded and slid into her.

"I'll still watch over you." I said.

I braced my arms beside her head to push into her hard and fast.

She raked her nails over my back, careful to not actually scratch me this time.

We didn't want to be injured going into this fight.

She screamed my name as she came and I growled hers as I followed.

I fell to my side and she curled up to me.

I wrapped my arms around her and held her close.

"Zev?"

I looked down at her.

She kissed me. "I love you. I always will."

"I love you too. Forever."

She closed her eyes and snuggled against me, her head on my arm and her hands on my waist.

xXx

The city was in ruins almost when we finally arrived.

We led the charge against the Darkspawn.

Our tiny army was more effective than most of the soldiers.

We fought our way to the palace, where Riordan broke off the find the Archdemon himself, against all wishes otherwise.

Alistair was like a madman as he cut down enemy after enemy to get inside.

We found Anora, locked up in her room.

He actually held her as he admitted to being worried.

She seemed more than a little relieved to see him.

If the beasts outside the door had been any indication, they knew she was in here.

"I'll help fight." She said.

"No." He snapped. "Ferelden needs its Queen alive."

She started to argue.

"He's right." Rykah said. "Alistair hasn't taken the throne yet, so we need you safe. Wynne and Morrigan can make sure nothing can get at you in here."

The two nodded.

"We'll be back after we kill that thing." Alistair said.

Anora nodded.

I watched the two Mages cast a very powerful protective barrier over the whole room once we were out of it.

We fought our way to the Fort and I looked up as the Archdemon crashed into it.

I saw a body fall from the sky as the wing was torn nearly in half.

It wouldn't be flying around anymore.

Riordan had tried his hardest to not have the two younger Wardens kill it.

We'd find his body later and give him a proper burial.

I followed Rykah into the Fort.

Memories of having to rescue her popped up.

But this time she wasn't trapped.

Our group pushed through the Darkspawn as if they weren't even there.

I undid the traps laid out before anyone could set them off, aiming to keep Rykah safe.

As we came out to the roof, I saw that monster again.

Alistair led the charge with the soldiers we'd collected from the fights we'd interrupted as Rykah and I hurried to the ballista.

I loaded it as she aimed for the Archdemon and the thing roared in pain with every shot.

The fires it breathed out were terrifying.

We raced to another as it charged the crossbow we were at.

It was almost fun to fight at her side like this.

When it crashed to the stone, she ran for it.

I watched a sweep of its wings clear the men attacking it.

I felt terrified as I watched her duck a claw before jumping on its neck.

Its tail caught Alistair and threw him to the wall.

He slumped to the ground.

I was torn slightly as I watched several Darkspawn move for him.

I watched Rykah raise her swords, aimed for the Archdemon's head.

I chose to go protect Alistair.

My swords caught the three Hurlocks off guard and I slaughtered them as she drove her swords deep into that monsters skull.

Even from here I heard the cracking of bone.

It threw her off with its last act and her swords broke off in it.

She rolled on the ground and I raced to her side as the monster died.

I dropped to the ground beside her as Wynne hurried to Alistair to heal him.

I moved to pick her up.

She wasn't breathing.

But she wasn't bleeding either.

At least, not externally.

I held her close, fearing Morrigan's attempts had still failed.

I buried my face in her soft brown hair.

"Come on baby, please come back to me." I whispered.

I kissed her gently.

My hand shook as I brushed her hair away from her face.

Morrigan knelt beside us.

"It..."

"It was a success." She said. "Perhaps...the blow..."

I held Rykah closer.

I put my mouth over hers and breathed into her.

As I pulled away, she coughed and gasped.

"I guess it just knocked the wind from her." Morrigan sighed. "I'm going. Don't let anyone follow me."

I nodded as Rykah took a deeper breath.

Her gray eyes met mine and she gave me a faint smile before putting her head on my chest and closing her eyes again.

I could still feel her breathing as she passed out.

I scooped her up, swallowing thickly.

I took a deep breath to calm my nerves.

As I turned to face Alistair, he was getting to his feet with some help from Sten.

"Is she..."

"Alive." I said. "The ritual worked."

I held her tight as we listened to the Darkspawn flee the city.

Without the big boss, they were nothing.

Alistair moved to stand in front of me.

He touched Rykah's cheek.

"She's so damn stupid, but so much stronger than me."

"She'll be fine after some rest. I think a couple of her ribs are cracked from that last blow, and I know her wrist is dislocated from it." I said.

Alistair nodded. "Then, I guess we should gather the survivors and fix this place back up."

"I'll take her to a place she can rest." I said.

"I'm sure Anora knows a good room in the palace." He said.

We followed the rest of our group back out to the street.

The soldiers who had survived cheered for us.

Wynne hurried to join the other Circle Mages who had begun to heal the wounded and ensure more survived.

Alistair and I headed for the palace again.

xXx

I looked down at Rykah as she started to wake.

Anora had given us this room, normally reserved for visiting family of the royal family.

Alistair had stated that to him, Rykah and I were pretty much his family now. She was a sister closer than his own by blood.

I had spent the past few hours cleaning it up from the wreck the Darkspawn had left it in.

I'd also helped clean up the other rooms on this hall for the others.

Anora and I even apologized for our differences as I helped clean up the royal bedroom with her and her maid.

Rykah opened her eyes.

"Hello my beautiful Warden." I said as I put my hand over her cheek.

She smiled. "Hello my handsome assassin."

I laughed. I leaned down to kiss her.

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

"Like I was run over." She winced as I helped her sit up.

"Be careful. I wrapped you tighter than normal because a couple ribs on your right side are cracked." I said.

She nodded. "No wonder."

She rubbed her once dislocated wrist.

I'd set it back again after carefully testing how much it might hurt her.

Luckily she hadn't come awake for anything in the past eight hours.

"It's all over now." She said.

"Yes." I nodded. "Some of the soldiers got the Archdemon burned where it was and all over the city, the Darkspawn are being burned to get rid of them."

She sighed. "And everyone else?"

"Wynne is leading the Circle Mages in healing the injured, Sten is helping get things cleaned up, Ogrhen and Lelianna and Fen are helping him. Alistair and Anora are taking charge quite well. She's planning how to go and he's issuing the orders for her to each group." I said.

"And Morrigan really left?"

"Said not to let anyone follow her." I nodded.

She sighed and winced.

"Just rest for now baby. I'm going to go let them know you're alright."

She nodded and I helped her lay back down again.

As I headed for the door she spoke again.

"Zev?"

"Hmm?" I turned to look at her.

"I love you."

I finally felt the worry about her not waking up and being okay fade. "I love you too." I said.

She closed her eyes and I quietly closed the door behind me and locked it.

I went to go find Anora and Alistair.

xXx

It was a couple days later that I cleared her to get up and actually move around again.

A lot of the cleanup was mostly done. The buildings were being rebuilt and repaired.

The palace was fully operational again.

I pulled out the clothes Anora had picked out for me as Rykah held up the dress with disdain.

We both huffed a laugh and pulled our normal gear on.

Anora might see it as distasteful, but Rykah's comfort was all that mattered to me.

She winced as she pulled on her jacket and I helped her do up the hooks properly.

We both looked ready to fight again as she settled her swords.

I moved for the door and followed her out.

We headed down to the ceremony where Alistair would finally be marrying Anora and taking the throne.

I stayed at the side as I watched.

When Rykah was called up to accept the accolades for saving Ferelden, I felt proud of her.

Everyone cheered and clapped for her.

A party started up among the nobles in the room and I could hear one starting outside too.

Rykah made her way down to me and I looked at her.

"So, what are your plans?" She asked.

"You have to ask?"

"Well, like I told Alistair, I want to get the Ferelden Wardens reestablished."

"Then I guess I'll be teaching young Wardens the art of killing Darkspawn." I grinned.

"You'll join the Wardens?" She asked.

"No. But I'll stay with you love. And I'll help you lead them. Plus, Alistair wants to make me an advisor."

She laughed.

"You?"

"I know right. But he is right. I'll help him when he needs advice and help you."

She sighed and moved to hug me.

"Thank you Zev."

"Of course love. I told you I wouldn't leave."

She pulled away and I watched as a man came from the doorway.

I reached for my sword as he headed for Rykah.

She faced him and the look of surprise on her face wasn't that of a bad one.

She held out her arms as he hurried to her and he pulled her close.

"Thank the Maker you're alright." He said.

"Oh get off Fergus." She pushed him away laughing until she winced from the still healing ribs on her side.

I reached for her and she clenched my hand.

I pulled a small bottle from my pocket and held it out to her.

"Thank you Zev." She said again as I popped the cork and she drank the water mixed with the pain suppressing liquid I put in it earlier. "I thought I could do without it."

"What's wrong Rykah?" The man asked.

"It's nothing Fergus. I cracked a couple ribs in the fight."

"You didn't have them...right, you're unaffected." He sighed.

"Zevran has lots of things to help though. He takes care of me as best he can."

Fergus looked at me. "How stupid I am, I've lost my manners at seeing her alright." He held out his hand to me. "Fergus Cousland."

I accepted it. "Zevran Arainai."

"Zev, this is my brother." Rykah said now that the pain was lessening. I took the empty vial back and corked it again to put back in my pocket. She faced Fergus. "Fergus, this is Zevran, my..." She looked unsure for a moment. "My fiance."

I tried to hide my shock.

We hadn't talked about it seriously yet, but she did joke yesterday that after everything was settled down, she wanted to marry me. The scandal of it didn't matter as long as she was happy.

Fergus looked shocked. "But...he's an elf." He whispered to her.

"I don't care. I love him Fergus, and nothing you say will change that."

I heard it as Alistair came down the stairs towards us.

"You might as well give it up Cousland. She does intend to keep this crazy bastard around." Alistair put his hand on my shoulder.

I scoffed. "As if any of you could get rid of me that easy."

She smiled as she took my hand.

Her brother sighed. "I...suppose I'll have to like him then."

"You will Fergus. Zevran is the best man I've ever known."

I squeezed her hand lightly.

"Come on now Rykah, everyone wants to see the Hero of Ferelden." Alistair said.

I nodded. "Go on, it'll do them some good to see you. I'll catch up with you afterward."

"But you're one of the heroes too."

I shook my head at her. "No, I'm just the one who kept you safe. I didn't kill that monster."

She looked like she wanted to argue.

Instead, she reached up to touch my cheek.

"Alright." She tugged me down slightly to kiss me. "I'll expect to see you when I get back."

"Of course." I grinned.

I watched her leave with Alistair as Anora came to stand beside me.

"It's nice to know Alistair has such good friends." She said. She looked at me. "And...thank you for saving him that day. It must have been hard to choose between saving him and keeping her safe."

I shrugged. "She was safe at the moment, he wasn't."

"Still, thank you. I've actually grown a bit fond of him."

"I'd hope so." I laughed. "You're stuck with him."

"Unless I hired an assassin to kill him." She laughed. "Not that I would, but I know where to go."

I huffed a laugh. "You'll come to like him. He's like mold, he grows on you."

She laughed.

I sighed as I looked at Fergus.

"So, you intend to stick around?" He asked.

"For as long as she'll keep me." I said.

"And you'll do right by her?"

"I'll always take care of her." I nodded.

"Then I guess...welcome to the family." He said.

I looked at the window where I could see Alistair and Rykah greeting people outside the palace as they wandered the crowd.

I'd never stop worrying about her, but she'd be safe with the King.

I turned as Anora invited me to join her in talking to some of the land leaders around Ferelden.

As Advisor to the King, I should get to know these people and their positions.

I sighed as I walked with her.

Now I had a wedding of my own to plan.


	2. Chapter 2

Forever

I looked down over the railing of the fortress the Wardens had put up on our lands.

Zevran looked at ease as he showed the quick motions of his style to the new recruits.

Our young son looked so adorable in his fathers coat holding the wooden sword Zevran had carved him.

It dragged on the floor behind him and the hem of the coat hit his calves, but he climbed the stairs to join me as he rubbed at his eyes.

Zev looked up at me as he sheathed the dual swords I'd gotten made for him last year.

They'd been forged by the master smith of the Dwarves when I'd brought him the scales I'd gotten from the High Dragon.

It had made a nest in the forest on the edge of our lands and in exchange for some proper care and respect, it protected our lands.

It had shed some scales by rubbing on a large rock and let me take them as a gift.

The shimmering white blades were beautiful and harder than any metal come up against them.

They matched my own smaller swords. And someday, our son would have his own pair.

I knelt as Rhine tugged on my pant leg.

His nine year old self was tired after playing with the recruits all day.

They loved him.

I picked him up, struggling with him slightly, and watched Zevran bounce up the stairs.

Even after ten years, I still felt amazed at seeing him do things like that.

He was almost forty, yet still moved as lethally and fluidly as the day I'd met him.

He claimed I was still as good as the day I'd killed the Archdemon, but I had to wonder sometimes.

I'd lazed a bit with my training since having Rhine.

Zev reached out to take him and I looked up as he kissed me while leaning in.

He held his son so carefully, and I knew he'd never drop him.

We walked to the offset rooms from the rest of the fortress and I pushed the main door open.

The fire was dying down and as I crossed to open the door to Rhine's room, I shivered.

Zev laid him in his bed and I moved to tuck him in as Zev went back out to get the fire going again.

After I removed the armor jacket and made sure he was all snuggled in, I headed back out to the main room.

I moved to where Zev was standing in front of the now roaring fire.

I wrapped my arms around him from behind.

"Are you ready to go tomorrow?" I asked.

"Yes. I'm just not looking forward to having to help pick between the two candidates for the land near Soldiers Peak." He sighed.

He turned to face me.

"What about you my love? Do you want to see the palace again?"

"I'd like to see Alistair and Anora and their daughter, but honestly, I've never been a fan of the city like you."

He laughed. That same old rich laugh as always.

He moved to lead me into our room after putting up the wire grate to prevent embers from flying out of the hearth.

He closed the door and urged me to the bed.

"It'll be fun to see the new things. Maybe we can even get you into a dress."

I scrunched up my nose in distaste.

Ever since leaving Highever years ago with Duncan, I'd never worn a dress again. Except the day I married Zevran.

That was a special occasion and he had said I looked so perfect in it. Even a couple months along with Rhine.

I forgot about his desire to get me in a dress as he pulled my clothes off.

His nimble fingers made me shiver as the cool air hit my skin.

He leaned to kiss my neck as he lowered me to the bed.

I pushed his shirt off and he kicked his pants off.

He made love to me sweet and gentle as he distracted me from thinking on all the things I hated about the city.

When I came, I scratched my nails over his shoulders and cried out his name.

He followed me over the edge and hearing him growl my name never failed to make me want to hold him tighter.

I let him pull me tight against him as he turned to his side.

Listening to him breathe, feeling his arms around me, knowing I was safe always lulled me to sleep faster.

It was few and far between ever since that night I had invited him to sleep with me forever on that he hadn't been in my bed at night.

And I hated it every time he wasn't with me.

I drifted to sleep hearing his heart beating.

xXx

As we came into the city, I just knew there was something wrong.

Over the years, elves had been more accepted and less enslaved.

Partly thanks to us I liked to think.

If the Hero of Ferelden could love an elf as her equal, then they could be better treated.

I heard a call of my name and turned.

I frowned until I saw Lelianna hurrying out from the Chantry gates.

She pulled me into a hug.

"I need to get to Alistair, so I'll meet you in the palace." Zev spoke to me softly.

I nodded.

I hadn't seen Lelianna in a year.

I watched Zev hold our son by the hand and he led the way to the palace, pointing out places that had once existed and were now gone along the way until they were out of my hearing.

I looked at Lelianna.

"He's so big now." She said.

I nodded. "He turns ten in a few months. Zev wanted to wait until then to really start training him. You should have seen him Lelianna, he just looked so cute wearing Zevran's jacket the other day. He's the spitting image of his father."

"But he does have your eyes." She said. "And...your Taint."

I sighed. "I know. He already wants to join the Wardens. And every once in a while, he has nightmares of the Darkspawn. I don't want him to fight, but I...I know I won't be able to stop him. And I'd rather Zev get him properly trained for it than for him to run away."

She nodded. "It's hard to think about, but he'll just keep growing up."

"Yes." I looked at where the Fort towered above the city. "I should head on. We did come for a reason."

She nodded. "Come and see me again before you leave."

I nodded and went to head the way I'd seen my husband wander off.

xXx

I made it across the river before a glint caught my eye.

I walked towards the alley and felt my heart stop.

There, on the ground partially hidden by a couple boxes, was a very familiar set of white blades.

To anyone outside of the Wardens and Zevran, those would look like ordinary cheap swords slightly rusted. But the new Ferelden Wardens were brought into the fold using a mix of Darkspawn and Dragon blood. The High Dragon had given us a precious gift of its blood and I'd found that it removed the Taint from the Darkspawn blood while still allowing the same gifts to be used. We were still a bit stronger, faster, and more durable than ordinary people.

I ran to pick them up.

I looked around.

"Zev? Rhine?" I called out.

I stumbled over an uneven stone and as I caught myself on the wall, I saw the indications of a struggle.

There was a sickly sweet smelling cloth tossed to the ground near the other end of the alley.

I covered my mouth as I realized what had happened.

They'd been ambushed.

Zev had been caught off guard, stripped of his weapons as I finally found the two knives he kept in the boots I'd given him so long ago.

Poor Rhine didn't have a weapon to hold.

He couldn't help his father and if this cloth was coated in what I thought, Zev would have been under in seconds.

I shoved it in my pocket and gripped the swords as I tucked his knives in my own boots.

I hurried back to the street and ran towards the palace.

My sides hurt as I shoved the door to the main hall open.

I ignored the Arl and his brother and several of our old allies as I rushed to the head of the table where Alistair stood.

He looked up at me happily until he saw how scared I was.

He reached out as I ran to him.

"Help me Alistair." I knew my voice was muffled by his shirt.

"Rykah? What's the matter?" Anora touched my shoulder.

I stepped back from Alistair and held up both swords.

"He's gone. Someone took him. And Rhine. Oh Maker, he's just a child." I said.

"Calm down Rykah. Tell me what happened." Alistair sounded so patient as I put the swords on the table.

He could see them for what they were.

"We were coming to meet you. He took Rhine and said he'd go on ahead as I saw Lelianna. You know he tries to do things as quickly as possible when we're here because I hate the city life. And when I was crossing the bridge, I saw the glint from the blades."

"Those hunks shine?" Eamon sounded amazed.

"For those who've drank of the blood of the High Dragon, yes. To everyone else, myself included, they look like scrap metal." Anora explained.

I pulled the cloth out of my pocket.

"I know he was taken Alistair. They used this on them."

Alistair led me up the short stairs and sat me on the throne and knelt in front of me.

"Just relax Rykah. I'm sure they'll be fine. This was probably the work of the group that has been eluding me for months now. They've been taking elves from all over the city. Shianni has been hounding me to find them, but they're as ghostly as the Crows."

I looked at him.

He touched my cheek.

"We will find him. And Rhine. And we'll stop this thing. We've done it before." He smiled.

"But it was done stupidly then. It was easy. They're using poisons and sneaking this time." I said.

"And we are the King and Hero of Ferelden. I'm sure we can do this."

I sighed as his confidence calmed me a little.

I nodded.

"Alright, let me show you what I've got on them and maybe your eyes will see something I don't." He said.

xXx

His clues were exceptionally widespread.

Nothing looked like it was from the same group other than the elf connection.

Poor Rhine.

If they hadn't gotten the drop on Zev, he likely would have killed them in short time and there wouldn't be a problem and Alistair would have told him about this mess here and Zev would have gone off in a rage and worked to find these people taking elves.

He was always claiming being an elf didn't matter to him, but show him slavery like this and he got so angry.

I took in all the clues spread over the map Alistair had marked them on and as he left the room for a moment, I reached up to rub my finger over the gold earring in my right ear.

I ran my other hand over the map, trying to feel where he was.

It hit me as I ran my hand over a particular building marked on the map.

"Alistair." I shouted.

He came inside quickly.

Not many people could have shouted for the King and had him jump at their command like that.

He reserved that for Anora and his daughter and myself.

I pointed at the building.

"This one." I said.

"You're sure?"

"I just feel it."

"Alright. Let's hope the Maker hasn't stopped talking to you."

I huffed at the ongoing joke.

We headed for the doors, collecting his gear along the way.

Just the two of us, heading off on a dangerous mission.

xXx

We crept towards the building in question.

"Just like old times eh?" He joked quietly.

I smiled. "Too bad Fen isn't here too." I said.

My Mabari had bravely given his life when Darkspawn attacked while a small group of Warden recruits and my family were out in the field doing a training session.

A Hurlock Emissary had been aiming to hit Rhine with a fireball and Fen had not only taken it head on, but on fire, my beast had charged the monster and torn it to pieces.

We'd gotten the fire put out, but he never recovered from his burns. Rhine had cried for days.

Alistair sighed and put his hand on my shoulder.

"He was a damn good partner."

"He did train his pups well. The four we still keep at the Warden's Keep." I said.

He held up his hand as we finally found a crevice into the building.

I pushed through it with Alistair on my heels.

We were silent as we snuck into the side chamber.

I caught a flash as Alistair lit a match from his pocket.

He held it up.

In the dim light, I saw stirring.

From inside cages.

I crept closer as I saw a body start moving.

"Who's there?"

The frail voice must have belonged to a man in his eighties.

Alistair lit the lamp in the room.

"Blessed light."

I looked at the cages around us against the walls.

It was like looking at that slavers room so long ago.

I pressed against the cage closest to me and reached to shake the body laying on the floor.

The woman groaned as she was woken up.

"What?"

"Shh." I said. "We're getting you out."

"Rykah!" Alistair snapped.

"I'm sorry Alistair, I can't leave them like this." I said.

"Find them first, and the traders and go to the source." He hissed at me. "Did you get stupid over the last decade?"

I looked down. "No, I...you know this hurts me."

"And once we find Zevran, we'll fix it."

"Zevran? Arainai?" The woman asked as she blinked at the light.

I whipped back around to face her. "Yes, have you seen him? Maybe a little boy who looks just like him?"

"I...a couple hours ago they dragged in a man they chained up. Called him a Crow Traitor. Everyone knows the only one who ever left the Crows alive was him. Because he fell in love with a Warden and they know better than to cross the Wardens again."

"Where is he?" I asked. "Please."

"I just saw them drag him past this room. I didn't see a little boy."

I covered my mouth.

Alistair moved to put his arm around me.

"Doesn't mean anything Rykah. There's no saying he's gone."

The woman scoffed. "As if, children are worth twenty times normal where they're taking us. They wouldn't even scratch a precious thing like that." She said.

She reached out a snagged my wrist. "You're the Warden, right? The one Zevran loves."

I nodded.

"He was still alive when I saw him. Please get us out of here."

Alistair nodded. "We will."

He urged me along to the hall.

No guards.

They weren't afraid one of their captives could pick locks.

We turned right as I drew one short sword.

We came to another dark room.

Alistair lit a match as I looked down the hall.

"Company." I whispered to him.

The tiny flame went out.

The lantern coming down the hall stopped.

In its light, I could see two men.

Alistair and I crept into the dark room.

I peeked around the corner to see them look into the dark room and then continue down the hall.

Towards us.

Just as they were leaning to look inside with the light of their lantern, Alistair and I jumped them.

I pulled the one closest to me in a choke hold.

He dropped the lantern as he tried to pry my arm off.

I put my sword against his throat.

Alistair knocked the other out with a hard hit.

He took hold of the man.

"Nice and easy now." Alistair said.

I started to let him go.

"No shouting now. I'd love a reason more to gut you." Alistair said.

The young man paled in the light of the lantern.

"Now, you grabbed a couple today. A man and a child. Zevran Arainai and a little boy."

The man nodded.

"Where are they?"

"I knew it was trouble. I never wanted to get in this shit. All I wanted was to sail. They said if I didn't help catch elves, they'd kill me and my girl."

"I can see to it they don't." Alistair said.

"Where are they?" I grabbed the young man's shirt.

"In the back room. He was too dangerous to keep loose like these ones. And that little boy is in with the other kids ready to be taken out tomorrow."

"Show me." I hissed.

He nodded.

He nearly stumbled over his partner as he turned to lead the way.

Alistair put his hand on my shoulder.

I followed the young man to a door with light under it.

He knocked and a call to come in sounded.

He pushed the door open and led us in.

"Uh boss."

The older man looked up from the table as we walked in.

The three around the room looked up as well.

Alistair stood regally in the doorway beside me.

"Get them!" The older man shouted.

I rushed forward as I dropped the lantern and pulled out my other sword.

Two came at me and I reflexively ducked and cut.

Both of them dropped as they clutched their legs.

I rushed forward as I almost dropped my swords.

My poor Zevran.

They had beaten on him and chained him to the wall with a collar around his neck.

He was laying on the floor, staring blankly across the room.

I knelt beside him as I heard Alistair take care of the other guard.

I stood up and turned to face the older man.

"How dare you." I snapped. "I..."

"Rykah, let me." Alistair moved to block me as I gripped my sword.

I wanted to kill that man though.

I watched, shocked, as Alistair dropped his sword to beat the man with his gloved hands instead.

More pain.

"You sick bastards took people from my city. You hurt my citizens. Worse yet, you hurt my friends." Alistair kept hitting him until he collapsed, then kicked him for good measure.

I faced Zevran again and sheathed my swords as I went to him.

He was still breathing, but he hadn't gotten up.

I knelt beside him and lifted him partly to my lap.

"Zev? Honey?" I felt my voice cracking as he slowly blinked. "Can you hear me Zev?"

His hand moved just enough that I reached for it.

He squeezed my fingers weakly.

Behind me I heard a cage being unlocked.

"Come on son." Alistair said.

"Uncle?"

"Yeah, we're here for you. Let's go child." He said.

I looked up as Alistair brought Rhine to me in his arms.

I reached for him and Alistair handed him to me, regardless of the fact that his now muddy boots were brushing Zevran's bloodied shirt as I held him.

"Mother, they hurt father." He said.

"I know baby." I mumbled against his soft blond hair.

"They poisoned father to make him weak. Said he'd die. Father can't die."

"What did they give him baby?"

Rhine pointed at the table at a gray liquid in a bottle.

"They made him drink it."

I nodded. "Did they take his bag? You know his case."

"I know where that is." The young man who had led us here said.

"Then get it." Alistair snapped as he used the key he'd picked up off the older man to unlock the collar.

The man jumped and hurried to a cabinet.

He pulled out the wood box Zev kept his vials in.

Alistair reached for it as the man brought it.

I set Rhine down and Alistair opened it.

I pulled out several vials and looked at their coloring.

I selected the right one as I found it.

Alistair popped the tight cork for me and I carefully dripped a few drops into Zevran's mouth.

He didn't swallow though.

I didn't know what to do until Alistair forced him to.

He put the cork back for me and I held Zevran close.

"Will father be okay mother?"

I couldn't speak.

I finally felt the tears falling as Zevran reached up to put his hand over my arm.

His breathing came deeper now, more normal.

He sighed as he looked up at me.

I leaned down to kiss him.

"Sorry baby." He said weakly. He reached to touch Rhine's cheek. "Just need sleep."

"Right." Alistair said. "Lets get you all out of here." He stood up. "I'll have the royal guard down here within the hour. They're supposed to be coming any time now."

I looked up at him.

"I told them to give us five minutes first." He said. "Figured we could handle it."

I nodded.

He leaned down to help me get Zevran back to his feet.

Zev couldn't hold his own weight though, so Alistair ended up mostly carrying him over his shoulder.

Rhine kept a death grip on my jacket hem as I put Zev's other arm over my shoulders to help support him.

"Rhine, take your fathers bag, alright?"

He nodded and tucked away the box in the bag Alistair had pulled it from.

"Get the other one." Zev said weakly.

"Rhine, grab the one from the desk." Alistair said.

He hurried over and ran back to grip my jacket again after putting the bag over his shoulder and tucking the other vial inside it too.

We carried Zevran as the front doors were kicked in.

Guards flooded the building.

Alistair issued orders to free every elf and return children to their parents.

We headed back towards the palace.

"Really, just like old times." Alistair said as we walked.

Zev huffed a laugh as he stumbled.

xXx

Anora set us up in a double room suite.

She ordered a bed made up for Rhine in the main room where it was warmer and brighter.

Alistair and I laid Zev on the bed in the other room.

"Is he alright?" She asked.

"He will be. They poisoned him and since he spent years teaching me, I knew the antidote was in his bag." I said. "We'll all be alright."

"I'll leave you guys alone. Trina is going to stay with Rhine tonight. She's always been good at making him forget the bad things." Alistair said.

I nodded. Their seven year old girl was a lot like her mother.

Commanding, smart, but kind and gentle too.

I looked out into the main hall as the girl's nanny settled herself on the couch.

Trina was already curled up beside Rhine on his bed. They giggled as Alistair pulled the blanket over them both.

"Please let him sleep sweetie." Anora said. "You two have all tomorrow to play."

I saw the look of disappointment on the little faces.

"Let them stay up as long as they want." I said. "Rhine...needs the company more."

Alistair nodded. "But not too late." He said firmly to his daughter.

I had to admit, as they left the room, they did make one fine child.

And she played so well with Rhine. Didn't care about his pointed ears, or his rare occurrence of waking up in the night screaming over the nightmares.

Granted, she probably understood it was a different kind of nightmare when her father woke up as well, and myself.

He never slept well in the Warden's Keep without Anora anyway, but to throw in the raging nightmares of the Darkspawn too, it was too much.

On those nights, Zevran just cradled me close and hummed a lullaby to me until I fell back asleep.

I closed the door to our room mostly and pulled off my armor.

I carefully put my armor on the rack and pulled his from his bag to hang it up.

They had shoved it in so roughly it tore the bag slightly.

I set aside his case and the other vial before turning towards the bed.

I went to him and eased him up carefully to remove his bloody shirt.

It looked like they hadn't done more than beat him, but someone had split his lip and given him a bloody nose.

My poor Zevran.

I moved to the carafe of water on the bedside table and picked up a clean cloth.

I soaked it and wrung it out mostly before using it to dab at the cut on his lip and clean the crusting blood from his face.

His cut lip dribbled new blood and I carefully pressed the cloth to it until it stopped bleeding.

I looked down at him.

"How could anyone hurt you like this?" I spoke as I hovered my fingers over a forming bruise on his chest.

It looked like a boot had hit him.

Someone had kicked him while he was down on the floor.

I put the cloth away and very carefully slid into bed with him, pulling the covers up over us both.

He winced as I leaned over him to kiss him gently.

His eyes opened briefly and he tilted one side of his lips up to a smile, careful to not irritate the cut that had finally stopped bleeding.

His hand found mine under the blanket and squeezed slightly. I curled beside him, too scared to put weight on any part of him for fear of bruises that would hurt him.

"A bit closer baby." He mumbled. He seemed to take a lot of effort to move his own arm, but he stretched it out for me to lay my head on.

I scooted closer until I was flush against him, my legs straight against his.

"Still clothed?"

"You're wounded Zev. Just sleep." I said.

"Hmm." He sighed.

I listened as he drifted off again.

When his breathing evened out to sleep, I let myself be lulled by it.

xXx

I woke to the sound of children laughing.

It was so good to hear Rhine laughing after yesterday.

Maybe it wouldn't scar him for life.

I opened my eyes and smiled slightly at the soft, comfortable look on Zev's sleeping face.

I spread my hand over his heart, feeling the strong beat.

He would be fine.

I pushed myself up onto my other arm to pull the covers back a little.

I looked down at him.

The bruise over his left ribs was a grisly shade of purple and green.

The smaller, lighter bruise on his jaw looked less painful.

I carefully sat up and ran my hands over his chest, testing to make sure he didn't have broken bones.

As I neared the large bruise on his ribs, he groaned.

I pulled my hands away quickly and looked at his face.

He threw his hand over his eyes as he let out a ragged breath.

"I'll be alright baby. Better me than Rhine." He said.

My heart stopped for a moment at the thought of my little boy sporting the bruises his father just brushed off.

Zev reached to cup my cheek in his palm.

"I would never let anyone hurt him Rykah."

I nodded. "I know you'd do everything you can."

He groaned and put his left hand over his side as he pushed himself to sit up.

I looked up as the bedroom door slammed open.

Rhine ran into the room with Trina on his heels.

Both kids jumped up on the bed and Rhine moved to his fathers side.

"Are you better father?"

Zev sighed and I caught the wince as Rhine must have hit a bruise on his thigh.

But he still hugged his son close.

"Yes. I'm alright." He pushed Rhine away a little. "Go on and play. Your mother and I have to talk to the King."

Rhine and Trina jumped down and raced out of the room.

I got up and moved to his side of the bed to help him get up.

"Does it hurt?" I asked.

"Just a bit. We'll detour to see the royal healer and then find Alistair and see why he needed us."

I nodded as he leaned some of his weight on me as I helped him dress in the clean clothes Anora had filled the wardrobe with. She had only selected clothes that suited fighters like us. Nothing frilly or poofy like years ago.

Now she only did that as a joke.

Every time I came, I still found a couple dresses in the mix. As if she thought I might wear one.

xXx

The healer fixed him up good as new and he sighed in relief as he no longer felt the bruises.

We found Alistair in the main hall with some of the others.

He came around the table as we walked in and pulled Zev into a hug.

"You're feeling better?"

"Saw your healer a bit ago and he worked out the bruises." Zev nodded as Alistair stepped back.

"Good. He knows to treat you all as family. Honestly he kind of yelled at me this morning for not waking him up last night to heal you."

Alistair led us to his end of the table.

"What did you need from us Alistair?" I asked.

"Well...mainly Zevran really, but you do have a way with the Dragons." He said. "As much as it must pain them to call on us, Antiva City is having a bit of an issue with a Dragon of their own."

Zev nodded. "They did come back a while ago. And for the most part as long as they are left alone and appeased with offerings of shiny things or meats, they've left Antiva in peace. Kind of like silent guardians. Between the Crows and the Dragons, Antiva hasn't had to fear attack."

"Well, someone must have set this one off. It's been attacking the city lately and they've finally called on our help. Well, the Wardens in Antiva did. I think the Crows and royalty are too proud to admit needing help."

"Crows are." Zev nodded.

"I wanted you and Rykah to go and calm the Dragon. Or...if worst comes, kill it."

I laughed. "Just us? Kill a High Dragon?"

"I don't want them killed, Dragons have proven to be intelligent and cunning creatures." Alistair said. "Save it if you can."

I nodded. "We'll try."

Zev nodded. "We'll get a ship to Antiva City tomorrow and handle things. We can even take Rhine and show him my homeland."

I felt uneasy about that part.

He must have sensed it like he always did.

"It'll be alright. The Crows won't hurt us. I've settled things with them. They know better than to attack a Warden Commander and her family with the Wardens in Antiva at her call."

Alistair nodded. "I'll send a message to let their Commander know you are coming."

I sighed. "Alright, let's prepare then."

xXx

Preparation was easy enough.

Most of the things we'd need were already collected for us by Alistair and Anora.

As Zev went to get our things on the ship Alistair had already set up for us, I took Rhine to Fort Drakon.

After almost ten years, I still hated going in this place.

The guards saluted me as I led him up to the battlements.

I looked out over the city and just in the distance, I could even see the Warden's Keep.

A tiny speck, but it was visible.

On clear nights, a light signal was visible between the two places.

I sat Rhine on a ledge as I turned for the large open area I had once killed the Archdemon in.

I pulled the small flute from where it hung on my necklace tucked under my shirt.

The curved thing had been carved out of a Dragon claw and given to me when I had finally made friends with the High Dragon.

Rhine watched as I brought it to my mouth and blew.

The clear notes from it could likely be heard halfway across the city, given the frequency it played on.

I played the short tune that would call Rose to me.

I waited a moment before stepping back to stand by Rhine.

It was only a couple minutes before the shadow flashed over the city.

The large Dragon came to land on top of the building.

As she settled down on the stone, Rhine jumped down from the ledge and ran to her.

When treated right and respected, Dragons could make extremely powerful allies.

Rose touched her nose to Rhine's face.

He giggled and raced around to her back to climb on top of her like he had since he was old enough to walk.

I came forward and used the bond between her blood to explain the issue.

Her resonating growl at the wonton destruction of the other Dragon startled Rhine.

She lowered her head to me and pale eyes focused on me.

I pulled my swords from my back as I saw Zevran coming to the roof.

She looked at him and he pulled his swords out as well.

As we held them flat, she blew flame over the blades and it sank in, giving the blades a renewed edge and an infusion of Dragon fire.

She raised her head and Zevran spun his blades, leaving an arcing trail of Dragon fire in the air from his blades. It fizzled out and she carefully craned her neck back to take hold of Rhine's shirt in her teeth.

Zevran sheathed the blades as she lowered our son to his arms.

I watched her get up and take flight back to her patch of forest.

How many Wardens could honestly say they had a Dragon on their side? One of the gentle breed.

Zev set Rhine on his feet as the guards collectively sighed.

It always made them nervous to see us react with the Dragon.

We headed back to the palace.

xXx

Alistair had a feast prepared for dinner.

Everyone who had come to settle the debate on which of the twins would take the lands just west of Soldiers Peak came to dinner and I settled myself beside Alistair with Zevran beside me.

To appease Anora, I actually wore the green gown I'd found in the wardrobe. Along with my sword belt.

She had just frowned and shook her head at me.

I looked up at the dais where the two thrones were.

Rhine had settled himself on Alistairs throne with his small plate of food balanced on the arm. Trina had taken her mothers seat to eat.

They wanted to be near us, listening to adult conversation, but they weren't old enough to fully understand any of it.

Alistair turned in his seat as everyone gathered food from the large table.

I saw the smile on his face as he looked at the kids.

"I think we should tell them." He said.

I frowned.

"Probably." Zev said quietly.

"What?" Anora looked as confused as I was.

Alistair faced forward again and looked at his wife.

"It was something Zevran and I thought about a few years ago when Trina had that fever that we thought she might not recover from, and Rhine refused to leave her until she was better." He said.

"We thought they might grow out of it, but it doesn't seem like it." Zev sighed.

"What are you two talking about?" I asked. "Did you do something horrible?"

Zev laughed. "I wouldn't do anything to hurt him."

"Rykah, please understand, this relationship between the royal family and the Wardens is something that should always exist." Alistair said. "When they were little, Zevran and I decided that when they were older, we would consider betrothing them."

"What?" My voice was loud enough in my shock to actually make Rhine look at me. I lowered my voice and leaned towards Alistair. "How could you?" I glared at Zev.

"Honey, it isn't something we set in stone." He took my hand.

Anora just glared at Alistair. I had a feeling he'd feel the wrath later if he didn't diffuse the situation now.

"We were just talking before, but I think it's a good idea." Alistair said. "Trina is just like Anora, she'll make a good ruler someday. And Rhine will be a good Warden, maybe even Commander."

I let Zev open my fist. "Rhine seems to care quite a lot for her and you've seen how well they get along. Even last night, she refused to let him be alone after that. You know as well as I do if she wasn't there, he'd have been with us."

I sighed. "I just...don't want to take away their choice." I said.

Anora nodded. "Not that I have any objections to Rhine, but they're still children."

Alistair raised a brow at her. "And you were betrothed at nine, not much older than Trina and the same age as Rhine."

She looked down and he took her hand, obviously knowing it brought back memories of Cailan.

Rumors had flooded that she couldn't have children after being married so long and not giving Cailan an heir.

Now, I suspected that it might have been Cailan who couldn't have children. She'd had Trina with Alistair after all.

"Lets just wait until they are both a little older." I said. "At least until they can understand what is going on."

Zev nodded and squeezed my hand gently. "If you want that."

Alistair nodded as well.

"Now, while everyone is present and relatively satisfied, we should decide who is going to take the lands." Alistair said.

xXx

After a small argument broke out, things were decided quickly with some thoughtful points made by Zevran.

I started to head for our rooms after excusing myself.

Zev said he'd see me a bit later.

I sat in front of the fire for a while before I heard the door to the sitting room open.

I looked up, expecting Zev and instead seeing Alistair.

"Mind if I sit for a bit?" He asked.

I nodded and scooted over on the couch.

He settled with a sigh.

"I know we should have discussed it with you both earlier, but we were just talking about it over drinks all those years ago. Neither of us took it seriously then, but the kids just keep staying close."

"I'm not really upset over that Alistair. Honestly, now that I've thought about it, why should I complain? Rhine would end up being a King. Any mother would be happy over that."

He put his hand on my knee. "I get what you're feeling though. The power and wealth and fame is a lucrative draw, but I know you better than that. You're worried Rhine would feel pressured into loving Trina. And that she might hate him if their choice was taken out of it."

He braced his elbows on his knees and put his head in his hands.

"A little, but if we wait and see how they keep growing, it might come that they don't really love each other like that."

He nodded. "Yes. I didn't come to talk to you about that though."

I frowned as I looked at him.

"You're the oldest friend I really have and like a sister to me. I just want to know if you think I'm doing well."

I paused. "You mean with Anora."

He sighed. "It's just...after so many years, she's still a little distant to me. I thought our marriage was just going to be a sham forever, but I truly love her Rykah. I'm just worried that she still keeps her distance because she still believes I'm nothing compared to Cailan."

I nodded. "You think she's still holding back because she still loves him and is only doing her duty with you."

He sighed again. "Way to sum it up."

I put my arm around his shoulders. "Alistair, she does still love Cailan, and she probably always will. I think she's just afraid that if she really loves you, it'll make what she feels for him seem like a lie. I think she just hasn't accepted that she can love you both without either loves being weaker."

"I just don't know how to get her to open up. After ten years, I still haven't figured her out. I can finally run a country, lead armies, but I can't get my own wife to love me."

I cracked a smile. "I'll talk to her."

He huffed a laugh. "This is all your fault you know. If you hadn't persuaded a stupider me that this was a good idea, I never would have married her, or taken the throne."

I ruffled his hair as he sat up.

"I know. And I should have been more involved from the start." I said.

I started to stand up. "Why don't you find Zev and the kids and harass your cook for deserts while I try to get to Anora."

He nodded and stood up.

I pulled the door open as he ran his fingers through his hair to straighten it again.

It was so short I was never sure how he could tell any of it was messed up.

I walked out and left him at the corner to knock on their sitting room door.

"Come in." I heard Anora.

I opened the door and saw her sitting at her table.

"You seem upset." I said as I closed the door.

She sighed.

"He doesn't even think before he brings up Cailan. Does he even consider what that does to me?"

I moved to sit across from her.

"Yes. He does. You're still in love with Cailan, I can understand that."

"Alistair asked you to come talk to me, didn't he?" She narrowed her eyes at me.

She knew that never fazed me.

"Doesn't matter." I said. "What matters is that you need to understand that you're hurting him too. Every time you keep yourself closed off because of Cailan, it hurts him as bad as the Blight did. It isn't like he brings up Cailan to hurt you, because it hurts him to think about his brother too. You never saw us when we found Andraste's ashes. The Guardian just reached into him and yanked out his worst grief. Do you know what it was?"

She looked at the window. "No, he never talks about the Blight anymore. I think he'd rather forget it happened."

"I was there, and the Guardian played on all our grief. Zevran handled it the best, but even he admits that if he hadn't been pretty much in love with me by then, he might not have felt worthy of his second chance at life after that day." I said. "Alistair's worst grief at that time was that his father never accepted him and then he would have been King and it would have been him who was killed instead."

She frowned as she snapped to look at me again.

"What?"

"Yes. Alistair wished he could have taken Cailan's place that day. You never saw his body, but I did, and believe me, it was not something I would have wished on anyone. Those monsters desecrated his body even after he was dead, yet Alistair still wished that he could have traded places."

"He...never told me." She looked down.

I reached out to take her hands. "Look, I know you will always love Cailan, but he is gone. Alistair doesn't want you to not love Cailan, but he just wants something too. I know you have enough room in your heart for them both. He'll probably always have his nightmares of seeing Cailan's body like that, so you need to understand that he loved his brother too, even if Cailan never knew he was related to him."

Anora nodded. "I just don't want others to think I'm abandoning Cailan.

"Then ignore them. Alistair and us, we know you won't. That's all that matters."

She sighed. "I'll try to be more open with him. I guess I do owe it to him after all these years."

"He really loves you Anora. He never thought he would, but he does." I moved to stand up. "Now, I think Alistair and Zev and the kids are harassing the cook for desert. Want to join?"

She nodded as she stood up. "And just so you know, you do look good in dresses."

I shuddered.

She laughed as we walked out the door.

xXx

We found our husbands and children in the kitchen at a table.

I watched from the doorway as Zev peeled a fresh orange with his knife.

Rhine used Zev's other knife to skewer a chunk of apple and dipped it in chocolate sauce.

I felt that twinge of fear every mother felt when their baby handled knives.

But he had been doing it for years, despite my constantly telling Zev I didn't want him doing it.

Eventually I had to face the fact that Rhine was his fathers son. He handled a knife like an extension of his own hands.

I walked towards them as Zev tore a chunk of the orange free and dipped it in chocolate.

I leaned against his back where he sat on the stool as he was pulling the slice back to himself.

He held it up to me and I bit into it, taking the entire end coated in chocolate.

He ate the other half.

"Thought you were going to miss this fun." Alistair said.

"Not on your life." I said.

Rhine held up the knife and carefully dipped the chunk of apple into the chocolate.

Trina made a slightly disgusted face as she arranged her slices neatly on a plate and used a spoon to scoop out some sauce to drizzle over them.

Always the neat child.

Just like her mother.

Maybe a couple months of traveling like we had during the Blight would have changed Anora to actually accept that Alistair was never going to be perfectly clean.

I laughed as he dripped chocolate on his hand.

Zev stabbed a piece of apple for me and fed it to me from his knife.

I never had a fear with him. I knew he wouldn't cut me, even on accident.

"We were going to save you both some if you didn't come." Zev said.

"We still can." I mumbled in his ear.

"Very true."

"Hey, no filthy thoughts." Alistair said. "Kids present."

Zev huffed a laugh. "Rhine knows how these things work."

I sighed.

"Yes." Rhine said cheerfully. "Father taught me about it when Fenrir's partner had her puppies."

He did have to learn eventually, and I had been proud of how Zev handled it. He hadn't been introduced in the way his father had been.

Sex was probably nothing new to Zevran from the time he could crawl. It made sense he had a dirty mind.

But I loved him anyway.

We talked and laughed as Zev continued feeding us both and I was surprised when even Anora got her fingers dirty when she dropped her slice of apple in the bowl.

I felt a twinge of worry when Zevran took his knife away from Rhine once our son was done and licked the chocolate from it.

But he was careful about it.

He cleaned it with a cloth and tucked it away before cleaning the other as well and putting it in the boot propped up on the stool.

I stepped back to let him up and Zev took hold of the bowl.

It didn't have much left in it.

I watched him take Trina's spoon and clean out the bowl.

He held the spoon out to me with the last bit of chocolate and I let him feed it to me.

It was a treat to have such a desert.

"Strange demented couple." Alistair teased us.

"Jealous." Zevran retorted.

Alistair huffed as he rolled his eyes.

We all headed to our rooms, still talking and laughing with each other.

xXx

After tucking Rhine in bed, Zev closed the door to our room.

I started to pull my dress off when he came up behind me.

His hands moved over my sides as his mouth came to press against my neck.

"We'll have to get some good Antivan chocolate while we're there so I can show you what I was thinking about." He said.

"Yes." I mumbled as he helped me shed the uncomfortable garment.

"You looked good in that, but I think I like you like this better. Perhaps we can find a dress that suits you in Antiva. They do have some of the best fashion."

"You're trying to make me look forward to this, aren't you?" I asked.

"Maybe a little."

"I know it's your homeland Zev, but I don't like cities." I said softly.

"I know. I'll show you the places I grew up when we settle this Dragon issue and then we can come home."

It always made me happy when he called Warden's Keep home.

It showed that he wasn't thinking of Antiva as home anymore.

When he had left before Rhine was born, shortly after we were married, I was so worried he'd left for good that I started to go after him.

Luckily, I ended up meeting him at the docks of Denerim instead.

It was probably the warmest welcome home he bad ever gotten until then.

I'd really been scared.

But after that, he said we'd never have to deal with the Crows again, from House Arainai or any other.

He had left his mark on them.

It ended up being a good thing I'd tried to go after him, because I had Rhine early and having him in the comfort of the palace was better than in the still being worked on Keep.

Zev laid me on the bed after shedding his clothes and pulled me close.

I ran my hands over the tattoos on his sides as he slid into me.

He thrust at a slow, deep pace and it was so good.

He always had a way with making me feel the most pleasure.

I loved it.

As he reached between us to rub how he knew would set me off, I ran my fingers over his back.

I gasped his name as I came harder than expected.

He pushed into me deeper as he followed me, groaning his pleasure.

He fell to his side and pulled me close after our hearts stopped beating so fast.

I snuggled up to him, glad to be able to wrap myself around him again.

xXx

The boat was pretty much ours as it left the port.

I got Rhine settled in his room and Zev gave him his knife.

"If anyone tries to hurt you or take you, use it." Zev said. "Then come to us."

I felt uneasy letting him run around the ship by himself, but as Zev pointed out, short of throwing him overboard, no one could take him anywhere. And he knew how to use that knife.

I stood at the rail and looked at the water.

I felt more than a little nauseous.

Zev came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me.

"Are you feeling alright my love?"

I shook my head.

"Come here."

He pulled me to sit with him at the bow with his back to the wood.

He cradled me in his lap as I held my head with one hand and my stomach with the other.

"Do you get sick from boats?"

"Not normally." I'd been in small boats on the lake by my old home. We even took Rhine in one when we visited Fergus a couple years ago to meet his new wife.

He'd never get over the murder of his wife and child, but I was glad to see his new wife had made a shrine in the garden for both our parents and his wife and son.

She was such a sweet woman, knowing Fergus would love his memories, but willing to work with him to love her too.

Last I had heard, she was finally giving him a child. He'd be good at raising another child, but part of me prayed this baby was a girl, if only to relieve some of the pain I knew he'd feel if it was a son.

Seeing Rhine was hard for him, but he loved his nephew anyway. Elf heritage and all.

The elven looks didn't even faze the Wardens and recruits, they just accepted Rhine as Zevrans son. Though some teased that my baby was a changeling, because he looked nothing like me.

I didn't care. I knew I gave birth to him and Zev and I loved him. That was all that mattered to me.

"Have you been feeling sick lately?" Zev asked me.

I tried to think back recently.

The other day I had felt sick, but I could have just eaten something that didn't agree with me.

I was quiet long enough for Zev to put up another possibility.

"You missed your monthlies." He said. "Do you think..."

I tensed up.

It was a possibility. Always. Zev and I had never taken real precautions against pregnancy.

Aside from him knowing my cycle and not coming in me during the right times, we did nothing special.

"Maybe." I mumbled. Now I was more worried.

I'd gone to fight the Archdemon without ever knowing I was pregnant with Rhine.

Could I get into a conflict with anything knowing I was pregnant?

"This is not a bad thing love. Don't look so worried. In Antiva, we will be fine. I do still have some connections there. We will have a good place to stay and you will always be safe. The Wardens have a small estate in the city and I'm sure they will allow us to stay in Antiva safely." He said.

I nodded. The Warden Commander of Antiva lived in the city and ran things from his large home.

"I just...what will Rhine think if we have another child?" I whispered.

Zev brushed his fingers through my hair.

"We don't know just yet. But he's a good child. He'll be a good older brother. Like Fergus is to you."

I put my head against his chest.

I looked up as I heard the small boots on the deck.

Rhine hurried over to us to look off the front of the ship.

He looked down at us as he came closer.

His happy expression fell as he looked at me.

"Is mother alright?" He asked. "Is she sick?"

Zev shook his head.

"She's alright." He held up his hand to invite Rhine to sit with us. "Rhine, do you think you could like to have a baby brother or sister?"

I tensed as he asked.

Rhine sat with his legs stretched out, almost meeting Zev's boots.

"Well...would it be like playing with Trina?" He asked.

"Not for a bit, but eventually your little sibling would be big enough to play with. You probably don't remember much of when Trina wasn't big enough to play with."

"You mean when she had to be all wrapped up all the time?" He asked. "That wasn't so fun, but she made funny faces. And she always loved the rocks I brought her. Would my little brother like them too?"

"Maybe. We're not sure if we're having another baby just yet, but if we do, can we count on you to help take care of them?" I asked.

"Of course!" Rhine grinned widely in the way only a child could.

I reached to pull him close. "You'll be a good big brother." I said.

He struggled to get away and I let him go.

Zev shifted to spread his legs and settle my rear on the deck as Rhine laid out between his legs with his head on my lap.

"How can you tell if you'll have a baby?" Rhine asked.

I paused as I thought.

"Your mother will get nice and round in her belly and eventually you might even be able to feel the baby as it grows, and then, when he's ready, he'll come out." Zev said.

Rhine looked thoughtful. "Will it hurt?"

"Only a bit." I said. "You were small, so you didn't hurt me at all." I brushed my fingers through his soft hair.

"Good. I don't ever want to hurt my mother. Or my father." He mumbled. "Will he...be Tainted too? If he is, I think I feel him."

I paused again as he brought up a valid thought. If Rhine had been Tainted before the High Dragon gave him blood, then my other baby would be too.

Rhine had been how we discovered the Dragon's blood cure as it were. He'd wandered off in the forest while we were training when he was only three. Zev and I had panicked when we couldn't find him.

Even the recruits then had gone into a frenzy. They'd said Rhine was our mascot at the time.

We finally found him with a scraped knee in the sheltered wings of the High Dragon.

She had taken him on as her hatchling and cut the pad of her front paw to get fluids into him.

Dragon's blood had amazing healing properties.

His scrape had healed in hours and he didn't have the Taint after that.

I was the second test when I had gone back to question why the Dragon had cared for my son.

She knocked me over and forced her paw to my face and got her blood in me.

I'd been wracked with pain for hours, but no longer had the Taint either.

Zev just had her blood.

It was her way of taking us on as her family. Her brood.

We cared for her, kept her safe within our borders, and she protected us.

I used that brood link to try and feel.

I gripped Zev's hand as I could feel the tiny formation of Dragon's blood within me.

Rhine felt it too.

"Can you feel it Zev?"

"If I focus really hard."

"You feel him?" Rhine asked.

"Yes." I said. "That's the Dragon's blood bond. Rose gave us all that bond."

"So I'll have a little brother or sister soon?"

"You'll have to wait a few months." Zev said.

Rhine sighed as he started to close his eyes.

"I can wait." He mumbled.

We both smiled as he fell asleep.

"Good thing I'm comfortable." Zev said quietly.

I leaned against him. "Good thing."

xXx

Nothing eventful happened on the ship aside from me getting sick.

As we gathered our things, Zev took my bag.

"I'm not helpless Zev."

He leaned to kiss me.

"I know baby. I just want you to feel better being here. And I like taking care of you."

I sighed as I reached to touch his cheek. "You always take care of me Zev. Always have."

Our room door opened and Rhine came in. "Almost always." Zev grinned.

I reached to take Rhine's hand and we disembarked the boat.

As we passed into the market district, I was floored.

It was twice as big as Denerim's. With stalls everywhere filled with things I'd never seen.

Zev led us through and I watched him turn to a stall quickly.

Almost too quickly to keep up.

He handed over some money and picked up several pieces of fruit.

As we caught up to him, he turned to look at us.

"Come on, I promise that's the only stop."

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Our temporary living place." He said as he tucked the fruit in his bag and kept leading us through the market.

He turned down a couple back alleys once we were out and I frowned as I held tighter to Rhine's hand.

I watched Zev look at the roof of a building and caught a flash of a shadow.

"Zev?"

"Needs practice." He shrugged. "Just a bit further."

I nodded and followed him to a large, walled in estate.

It had tall buildings around it wall to wall, making it impossible to have seen this place except from the front gate.

Zev reached out and pulled a key from his pocket to unlock the gates.

"Rykah, Rhine, welcome to House Arainai." He said as he pushed the gates open.

I thought this place was supposed to be abandoned.

I looked at him as I took in the lush garden entirely around the wall surrounding the estate and the beautiful building itself. Three stories of beautiful stonework and stained glass.

"You said you took this place down." I said quietly.

"No, I said I took the Crows of the House down." He said. "Turns out, with no heir by blood, as the last Arainai in the fold, I inherited it."

"You..." He took my hand and led me inside before closing the gates again.

I looked at the doors as they opened.

A young woman stood there with a cheerful smile. A young elf woman.

I hesitated.

"It's alright Rykah. No one will hurt you here. The Crows have written you off and I'm considered a ghost to them." He started to lead me up the stairs to the doors.

Rhine pulled away from me to follow his father and I walked behind him.

Part of me was very hurt by how he had lied to me all these years.

No, not lied. Simply never told the truth. He let me infer what I wanted.

His unmarked letters had always come and I trusted him enough to not read them. Now I wished I had.

Zev urged Rhine into the house as the young elf gave a bow.

"Welcome Master and Miss Arainai." She said.

"Is your family here Chloe?" Zevran asked her.

She nodded. "Edward is making sure everything is spotless for the second time today and Bast is preparing for dinner and I believe you should have seen Simon already. If not, then he's getting better." She looked at both me and Rhine. "You never said your wife was so pretty. Or that your son was so adorable."

Zev frowned. "What would you have thought?" He closed the door behind me, finally cutting off my thoughts of running away from this place that he used to tell me horror stories of.

"Well...you said she was a Warden...I thought she might be more like the Commander..." Chloe said as Zev moved to lead us into the main room.

The entry had a nice wardrobe to either side that was open and revealing a set of coats and neatly placed boots. A bench to sit on on each side and finely scrolled sconces beside each doorway for light. The reflecting metal behind them made the room seem brighter.

As we passed into the main room, Zev looked at me.

"You're upset." He sighed.

"I just...I'm not really upset." I shook my head.

I looked around the room.

This would have been the gathering room and still looked it.

The walls were covered by hanging curtains and I was faintly startled by the fact that the ceiling was tilted upwards with the giant beams supporting it and coming to meet in the middle of the room. It not only tilted lengthwise to the middle like a folded piece of paper, but one end was raised higher too.

"Is that normal?" I frowned.

"The tilted ceilings? Yes." Zev said. "When I had this place rebuilt, I designed it myself. Ventilation that can't be blocked to always provide fresh air intake is built into every room. The candle smoke isn't bad unlike in other places. It's why I added in those changes when we were building the Keep."

I had wondered why this house looked like the Keep a bit.

It did show that he thought of the Keep as home.

He even made his Antivan home look like it somewhat in style.

"It is a marvel of engineering." Chloe said. "Several people have come to look at it and be inspired."

I nodded. The man who had designed the Keep had been more than excited when he'd finished.

He had said such a project was going to make him famous.

I thought it was just because I was Warden Commander.

Zev motioned to the doors on the right.

"The one closer to the entry leads to the kitchen and from there you can access the stores and the garden you saw to the right from outside. The other leads to the dining room for residents and I also had to build the general restrooms there due to design flaws. It worked out though."

"It is quite nice Master." Chloe said.

"Why did you have to build it there?"

"You like the plumbing in the Keep yes?"

"How the pipework in the walls feeds out to the lake, yes." I nodded.

"This house backs to the river on the far side and the plumbing goes out to it. That is where the main line comes up and so everything has to flow to it."

I sighed. "Right, because you would have to go with the setup already here no matter what unless you wanted more work."

He nodded. "It's all fine. On the left is the library that is fairly empty really, but we're working on it, and the solarium."

I frowned. "You built...an indoor garden?"

"Yes. I'll show you later. First I want to show you our rooms."

He led the way to the back of the main room and opened the door.

I was startled as it opened to an ornate stairway.

It spiraled around a large stone pillar and the outside wall had lovely stained glass patterns of flowers the entire way up every few feet for external light.

"This is beautiful." I said.

"Isn't it?" Chloe smiled. "When Master Zevran asked if I could do this, I thought it was going to be such a huge project."

I looked at her. "You did the glasswork?"

She nodded. "I work with glass in my fathers shop and I created the dyes I put into this project myself. The color looks speckled because I went out and found rock that suited my liking and crushed them into powder to mix into the glass mix."

I traced my finger over a pane as we passed.

"It's so wonderful, and the slight speckling is nice."

"Thank you Miss." She said. "Most of the metalworking in the house was done by Edward in the forge his family runs. We are a crafting family, but we are glad to serve Master Zevran."

"Why are you serving him? You could easily make on your own with this kind of work." I said as we came to the second floor doors.

"It's...complicated." She looked down.

Zev stopped. "Her son Simon stole from the Warden Commander. A priceless piece of treasure. I talked the old man into letting the family go in exchange for working for me. If they so much as come up on the city guard radars, her entire family will be killed."

I looked up at him with horror. "Over a simple bit of stealing? Jonah steals food from the larder all the time and I don't punish him for it. He's a growing boy."

Zev made a soft laugh. "It's different. Simon stole the Warden's sword. A family heirloom and rumored to be the best in Antiva. Nothing to ours of course, but we don't have to let them know that. To him, it was a capital offense."

I nodded. If someone stole my swords I would be angry. I might even have them working off their punishment. But death? For a whole family? I was already not impressed by this Commander.

"Not every Commander can be as caring as you are love." Zev said as he pushed the door open.

The hallway led off to several doors.

"This floor is for Chloe and her family. Farthest rooms are theirs, Chloe and Edward on the right, Bast and Simon on the left. Still sharing right?" Zev asked.

"Yes. Though Simon was wanting to ask you if he could maybe get his own room soon." Chloe added.

Zev shrugged. "I'll see how he is doing. But the room is quite large if they don't mind me splitting it. I do believe I can have that arranged if he's doing well."

I frowned.

There were four other doors split between each side of the hallway. From the looks of it, the rooms were quite large.

Zev pointed to the door on the right, the one that opened to the library side of the house. "That door leads to the Solarium, it opens to a balcony built into the side of the wall."

"We have a nice little sitting area if you ever want to maybe join me for tea." Chloe said to me.

I nodded.

With her and her family, I couldn't consider them servants. They lived in this house more than anyone else.

I hated the city life, but this house was quite nice. I could feel almost at home with how much it was like the Keep in looks.

Zev closed the door to the hallway and started back up the stairs.

I followed, missing the glass when we were on the inside portion of the tower. It went nearly all the way around, but not quite.

He pushed open the door and led us into a large room.

I was startled. I had expected it to be like the floor below.

Zev motioned to the door to our right. "That also leads out the a balcony overlooking the Solarium." He turned to Chloe. "Did you make sure the set I ordered was exactly as I said it should be?"

She nodded. "Down to your details. Of course."

He nodded in appreciation. "We'll go see it later. I want you to see it first in its best light."

He headed for a door just to the right of it along the wall. "This leads to our rooms, but I want to show Rhine his first."

I was worried what Rhine thought about this home since he hadn't spoken yet.

He was normally nervous with new people, but Zev and the Wardens and Recruits had been working with him on his shyness.

He followed his father almost excitedly as Zev led him to the door on the left.

I followed behind them and watched Zev open the door.

It led into a nice sized room with a large bed covered in a set of beautiful blue silk bedding.

I saw the look of surprise on his face and thought about how we should get him a bed and bedding like it for home. After such luxury here, he might want it.

Hell, I might if my bed was similar.

The four posted bed was wonderful with the curtains on all sides and the heavier tapestry along the wall side.

Someone had stitched a very intricate image of a golden Dragon on the heavy fabric. His wardrobe was made from the same dark wood. As well as the large, heavy built desk. He even had his own armor and weapon stand.

A curtain blocked off the corner of the room closest to the stairwell and I sighed as I realized he had his own bathroom.

"Every room has its own bathroom, unlike the Keep which just has them on each floor. It has a bath as well, similar to when we stayed at the royal palace in Orzammar." Zev said.

I nodded.

Rhine moved to put his bag on his bed and Chloe stepped forward to help him unpack.

It was strange, seeing her with him.

As little as he looked like me, he could have been hers.

She had similar blond hair, the elven features, the slight frame, everything he had gotten from his father. But he had my gray eyes.

I watched for a moment as she revealed a selection of clothes in the wardrobe already.

"I know you didn't ask, but I thought he might not have many with him, so Simon and I picked things out for him. He'd just a bit smaller than Simon, so they might be a bit big on him in some places." She said.

I shook my head. "It's alright. Do you like the room Rhine?" Even Zev seemed weary of his answer.

I'd never seen Zev so nervous since our wedding. At that, he had admitted he was terrified. Almost worse than watching me kill the Archdemon.

Knowing that he would be socially claiming me and I him and that some still hated the thought of Ferelden's Hero and Warden Commander marrying not only an Antivan but an elf on top of that. Zev had chosen Ferelden as home to be with me, and I'd caught him once considering cutting his ears to stop the old nobility from sneering at me.

I'd been so scared that he would, already holding his knife that I had hurried forward to take it from him and reminded him I liked his ears they way they were and that the nobility could go to hell. When Darkspawn attacked their lands, I was the one they called on and I made sure they knew it. If I ever heard a peep from them about my 'low standards in a husband' I would remind them that not only was I a Warden Commander, Zevran had been a very skilled Antivan Crow.

My standards weren't low, just set on someone not normal.

Here in Antiva, Crows were on a higher ranking than nobility.

I was so lost in thought I almost missed Rhine's answer.

"It's great. Almost as good as home." He said.

Zev nodded. "This is also our home now. I had initially planned to bring you for your birthday, but then things came up. I'm glad you like it. Someday it'll be yours."

Rhine grinned at the thought of having two homes.

But...if he didn't become Commander after me, the Keep would be very different to him. He might have to give up his room for the family of the new Commander. Or if he married Trina...he'd be King and there would be no traveling for him here.

Zev put his arm around my shoulders and started to lead me to our room.

"What about the other three doors?" I frowned.

"Well, for now, the two along that wall are empty, but they are larger rooms than his, not quite as big as ours. I intended to invite Fergus and his family when we came for Rhine's birthday, to make it something really special for him since I know how much he loves his uncle. I'd intended for one of those rooms to be for him and his family since his wife will have only recently given birth and not be leaving her child alone overnight. The other is just like Rhine's room and I thought...if we had another child..."

I nodded.

He pushed open the door to our room and I was startled.

Even Zev must have been as his hand tightened on my shoulder.

The man straightened from where he was kneeling at the fireplace and looked at us.

"Sorry Master Zevran. I couldn't hear you coming."

Zev shook his head. "It's not an issue Edward. I wasn't expecting you in here still." He held me close. "Rykah, this is Chloe's husband. Edward, this is my lovely wife, Warden Commander Rykah."

Edward nodded. "Pleasure to meet you Miss Arainai."

"Rykah please." I said.

He nodded with a bow. "Well then, excuse me. I'll go see to the fire in your sons room and make sure things will be warm enough for him."

"There's a fireplace in just about every room, isn't there?" I asked.

"Yes, but I only get the hardest woods that burn longest and evenly, so you won't have to worry about it too often. And as per Master Zevran's designs, every room is properly ventilated." He said.

We moved for him to leave and Zev turned me to look at the room.

It was huge.

Part of it was sectioned off by lovely lattice and silk screens, allowing the heat to spread while retaining some level of privacy.

The front part of the room held a very lovely three piece seating arrangement around a small table.

It looked very comfortable. There was a lovely stained glass window on the far wall and two desks facing towards us with cushioned chairs behind them. It would have been only too easy to picture myself doing my Warden work from one of those desks.

The window sill had a clay pot fitted to its size with beautiful blooming plants and some not blooming.

"Chloe picked the plants for every room to have blooms of some kind all year. Only the windows have them, but I figured if anyone wanted real greenery, they could go to the Solarium." Zev said.

I nodded.

He led me towards the silk barricade and we walked past the desk near it.

I ran my hand over the desk and marveled at the smooth finish.

Mine at home was nicked and gouged.

He tugged me through the opening and I was further impressed.

The bedroom was wonderful.

The huge bed somehow didn't dominate the space due to how big the room was, but it was easily bigger than our bed at home. The mattress itself was the same size, but the frame seemed bigger and as I stepped closer, I realized why.

Along both sides there were chests with heavier blankets and more pillows.

"This is nice Zev."

"I know it doesn't get as cold temperature wise here as in Ferelden, but it is wetter here, which makes it seem colder at times. So I had this made up and Chloe stocked it with extra things. Also clean bedding. All the beds in this house other than ours have drawers under them with these things, but I liked the look of this bed for us."

He moved forward and tugged the curtains free from their ties on the post. They slid along the metal bar smoothly and I saw the sheer silk.

The wall side of our bed had a stitched tapestry of the Keep.

"How did you get someone to make that?" I asked.

"I know you'll miss home, no matter how short a time we're here, so when I invited that artist to paint the Keep a while back, I had him do a quick drawing of it to send here and have that made for our bed."

I moved to sit on the bed, in love with how plush it was. It didn't feel like it was stuffed with straw. More like wool. So tightly packed in there was a firmness to it, but still soft.

"You're still upset with me though, I can tell." He knelt at my feet and took my hands in his.

He kissed my palms and I sighed.

"I'm not angry with you over any of this, I'm just...I wish you would have told me you owned this place. We could have been visiting here so much earlier." I said.

He sighed. "Well, in honesty, it took me a couple years to finish cleaning out the House Arainai Crows and getting the ones not against me into good Houses. Then I found Chloe and her family on one of my trips and they needed a place to stay. We've exchanged letters for years as she arranged the teardown of the old building and basement, used the stone from that to fill in the old basement with some dirt as well from redoing the well deeper. Then that trip I made back here under guise of going to Denerim, I felt so bad about not telling you. We spent two days designing this new place and she and her family pulled together the group needed to build it. In all, it wasn't fully finished until about two years ago. For a long time, they lived in a wooden shack in the corner." Zev said. "I didn't tell you when it got finished because...I was afraid you'd hate it. And me after this."

I leaned to kiss him.

"I could never hate you Zev. Not over something like this. I really do like this place. It's beautiful."

"And part of why it took so long was because I had to be careful in my funding of this project. I didn't want you getting suspicious. I wanted it to be a surprise at first, then I got scared."

I sighed. "If I had known about this, I would have helped you Zev. I know you consider Ferelden home, I know you're not going to leave me."

"I've never considered Ferelden home Rykah." I frowned. "You are where my home is. Wherever you go, I will go. I told you when you asked me to stay with you forever all those years ago: as long as you want me, I'll be here."

I felt the tears coming up.

That had been over a decade ago, but he still remembered his exact words. I had asked him half asleep, fully satiated by sex and his warmth.

He reached to wipe away my tears. "I'll always consider myself home as long as I'm at your side. Back then, my answer was so noncommittal because I wasn't sure you'd want me forever. Now I know better and I'm never leaving you. You're stuck with me for life."

I gave a broken laugh. "More like you're stuck with me." I said.

He grinned. "I think I can handle that." I smiled.

I heard a knock on the door.

Zev and I got up to go to it.

Rhine stood there, looking almost scared.

"What's the matter Rhine?" Zev asked as he knelt in front of his son. Rhine didn't answer, he wrapped his arms around Zev's neck and buried his face against his father's throat.

It startled Zev, but he picked him up and I saw his frown.

"I'm afraid I rather scared him." I heard a voice from the other room.

A deep, clearly masculine voice, but not one I'd heard before.

Zev stepped out to let me into the other room.

I looked at the human man dressed in full armor. It shined in the candlelight around the room.

He was older, reminded me a lot of Duncan if Duncan had been fatter and more gray haired.

This man had that same commanding presence and air of authority.

"I came to meet you both to explain what has been happening. Little Simon told me you were up here, so I came up."

Zev's stance was more protective of Rhine than ever.

"Next time, I'll have him make sure you are comfortable in the library and he can come get us. He's never had real guests yet with us here."

"True. But I have always wanted to see your home. Ever since it was finished, it's been the envy of the designers around the city, but only they have been allowed to look inside. It makes me quite jealous."

"Commander, I'd like to introduce my wife, Warden Commander of Ferelden, Rykah Arainai-Cousland." He motioned with the hand not holding Rhine at me.

I stood straight in his presence, not letting him intimidate me. As a fellow Commander, I was on his level no matter the fact that I was in his territory. I couldn't command his Wardens unless in an emergency, just as he couldn't order my Wardens on my land.

His face barely let slip his shock.

I guess he was not used to a woman Commander or someone standing up to him.

"Pleasure to meet you." He said. "Tabarin Eval, as you already know Warden Commander of Antiva. First in a long time since the fourth Blight."

I nodded.

"A bit odd to take both last names isn't it?" He asked.

"Zevran is my husband, but I'm also sister to the Teyrn of Highever. I kept both to remind people that I come from nobility, but I chose Zevran. And he is Advisor to the King of Ferelden, so it is quite accepted back in Ferelden."

He looked almost taken aback by my forward attitude. I wasn't going to take any flack from him if he decided to mock my love for Zevran.

"Just not exactly common." Tabarin said. "For your name choice or that you married an elf."

"I see no reason why I couldn't have. The times were stressful and we became close because of it."

He huffed a laugh. "So lack of choices then."

I raised a brow at him. "I could have married the King, but I didn't. You want my help with this Dragon problem of yours, don't ever mock me again. I have loved Zevran for over ten years and he has been at my side every one of those years. That's better than a lot of people can say."

He took a sharp breath.

Statement hit close to home I'm guessing.

"I'll thank you to refrain from poking fun of our son while you're at it." I said.

He nodded.

Zev moved to put Rhine down.

"Do you know where Chloe went?" He asked our son.

Rhine nodded. "To the kitchen."

"Good. Go see if you can join her, meet Bastian and Simon too, alright?"

I watched Rhine nod again and he hurried off to the stairs.

"Shall we head for the library?" I asked.

"Of course." Tabarin said.

Now he was uneasy in my presence. Bit of a new feeling for him.

Zev led us downstairs, making sure to keep far enough back from Rhine that he didn't panic.

As we came to the main hall, I saw the kitchen door close.

Rhine would feel safer with kids and an adult he knew than in the room with the Commander who scared him.

Zev motioned for the plush chairs to sit down in, but the Commander didn't sit.

I was glad, his armor might have ruined the chair.

I sat beside Zev.

"So you know we're having some difficulty with a High Dragon." Tabarin said. "It seems content enough to just stay in the stables at the palace for now, but every once in a while it leaves to attack some part of the city. What we need is someone who knows how to kill that thing and get it out of here."

I scoffed. "We don't kill the Dragons. But we will try to remove it for you."

"How can you remove it without killing it?" He asked.

"We have our tricks. Our Keep is guarded by a High Dragon back in Ferelden. We've learned how to handle Dragons properly." Zev said.

I watched the confusion and shock on Tabarin's face.

"You've tamed a Dragon?"

"Eh, not really." Zev shrugged. "More like she tolerates and adopted us as her own. It was a hard won victory, I assure you. And it might well not be possibly with this Dragon if you've angered it too much."

"Well, when can I expect you to try and remove it?"

"At least two days from now." I said. "I'd like to get a visual of it from a distance to see what we're working with and then form a plan."

Zev nodded.

Really I was giving him time to show me his home city.

Tabarin nodded. "Alright. Let me know when you are ready to attempt to remove it, in case things go wrong."

I didn't want things to.

He started to leave and Zevran showed him out.

Zev came back to me as I stood in the main hall.

"Ready for dinner?"

I nodded.

xXx

Dinner was nice.

Chloe laid out the table for us all and I got to meet both her sons.

Bastian looked a lot like what I'd picture Rhine growing up to be when he was seventeen, but Bastian had no intention of leaving his family like most his age. Perhaps because of the incident? Simon looked like he could have been Rhine's slightly older brother as well. The boy was thirteen and quite a daredevil if his running the rooftops was any indication.

If Chloe took her sons into the city and Rhine as well, no one would likely be able to tell they weren't all family.

Bastian's cooking was exceptional.

I'd never had any of the things he'd made, but it was all very good.

Despite how pleasant and friendly their family was, I just wasn't feeling well anymore.

After I finished eating, I excused myself and went upstairs.

xXx

I had barely gotten into the bathroom to start myself a bath when I heard the door open.

I stood up as I saw Zev come around the corner of the silk lattice screen.

"What's bothering you my love?" He asked as he came into the bathroom and put a couple chopped logs under the raised metal tub and lit them with the kindling.

He stopped the water from flowing into the tub from the pipe sticking out of the wall and looked at me.

"It's nothing." I said as I sat on the step to get in the tub.

Zev dropped to his knees in front of me. "You've never lied to me before Rykah, please don't start now. I can see you're not happy."

I sighed. "I am. This house is very nice Zev and I'm glad you put so much thought into this place trying to make it someplace I'd enjoy."

He took my hands. "But there is something on your mind. Has been since we got here this afternoon."

How was it he could always see through me like this?

When we were first learning each other while traveling and fighting, he had never been this intuitive.

They said time with someone could make you able to read them, but I still couldn't read Zev like this. Maybe that was just his old assassin training still kicking in. Always paying attention to the details.

"You can always talk to me. I know I kept this secret from you, but I didn't intend to. So please don't keep things from me. Especially your worries and fears."

He rubbed his thumbs over my palms and I sighed.

"Sometimes, I'm scared Rhine might think I'm not his mother."

Zev sighed as he pulled me close and shifted me over on the step.

"Rhine knows you're his mother baby. He'll never think you aren't."

"How can he really believe that though Zev? He looks nothing like me. He's the spitting image of you, but all he really has from me is his eyes." I said as he held me. I settled my head against his shoulder.

Zev reached to touch my cheek.

"He's got your heart, bravery, wit, compassion, and best of all, your ability to love very deeply." Zev said.

"You have those traits too though."

He laughed. "Not really. Witty, yes, and I do love you with all my heart, but I'm not a brave man Rykah. Nor am I compassionate to others. Some days, I wouldn't give two thoughts about the problems Alistair and Anora write to me about. Most days actually. I give them advice because they are my friends, but I don't care about the problems themselves. And truly the only people in this world I could ever wish to keep safe are you and Rhine and our future baby." He put his hand on my belly. "The rest of the world can go to hell for all I care. You're the one who cares for others and wishes to save the world. Not me. So don't think Rhine gets any of his personality from me. Skills maybe, and possibly his quick wit he rarely shows."

I sighed.

Zev reached behind us to test the water.

"Now, are you done worrying about Rhine's feelings for us?" He asked.

"He would fit right in with Chloe's family." I sighed.

I was startled when Zev eased me away and lightly smacked my cheek.

It was enough to make me look at him with hurt.

"Enough Rykah. You did this last time too. When you were pregnant with Rhine, you doubted my love for you and your friends. I'm not going to let you allow yourself to doubt this time either."

I rubbed my cheek as I looked down. "I'm sorry Zev. I just don't know why this does this to me."

Zev pulled me close again and ran his fingers through my hair.

"You've always worried about these things, the pregnancy just brings it all to the surface." He said.

I nodded.

He urged me up onto my feet and started stripping me.

I reached for his shirt and he pulled it off and shoved his pants off.

Zev took a cup of water and splashed it over the wood to put out the fire.

The heat would dry the stone, but it would start to cool off now.

He climbed in my bath and helped me ease in with him.

He held my back to his chest.

"No matter what you doubt, don't think for a second that Rhine or I don't love you. You are still my world Rykah. I gave you everything the day you spared my life, I just didn't know it then."

I sighed. "I'll always love you Zev."

He wrapped his arms around me as the warm water helped me relax.

Had I really acted like this with Rhine too?

Zev would know, he'd been there for most of it.

I would try to push away those thoughts as they came.

He was right. Rhine loved me and knew I was his mother.

But part of me still hoped this child in me would look more like me. Just to ease my feeling of being the odd one.

xXx

I was dozing off by the time the water cooled too much.

Zev got me out and dried off as well as himself before leading me to bed.

He pulled out the clean shirt of his I'd stolen years ago to sleep in and helped me put it on.

I sank into the plush bedding as he pulled on his loose silk pants and a shirt.

"Not coming to bed?" I mumbled.

"Not yet." He leaned to kiss me. "I want to make sure everything is settled for tomorrow and put Rhine to bed first. It's a new place for him. I want him to feel safe here."

I sighed as I started to get up.

He pushed me back down and pulled the blankets over me. "I'll be back soon, just relax and maybe you'll be able to sleep before I get back."

I nodded.

He kissed me again and I reached up to run my fingers through his still damp hair.

His braids had gotten undone when he washed his hair. I'd fix them in the morning.

I know he liked when I did them.

I watched him leave.

He had let his hair grow out like I had wanted him to so many years ago.

Now it almost reached the middle of his back, but it was all one length instead of longer sections for his braids.

He usually let me do random sections in braids and pulled everything back into a tie at the back of his head.

It still gave him a mysterious look. A cross between spoiled elf and deadly warrior.

His attitude was the real finish to him.

Smooth, provocative, sexy, and just a little rakish. Anyone looking at him in his armor knew he was a killer. In his casual clothing he was maybe a bit seductive and charming.

He played both sides well.

I still just loved watching him interact with others.

I felt myself drifting off as I smiled to myself.

I really loved that man.

xXx

I woke up screaming from the nightmare.

Zev instantly woke to pull me into his arms.

"Shh. It's alright. I'm here." He said softly.

I shook in his hold as the images still flashed around in my head.

"What was it this time?"

"Just a memory." I said. "I...I was reliving Ostagar. I just...I couldn't do anything Zev. All those soldiers died for nothing. And...Cailan and Duncan. Alistair didn't see it Zev, but I watched all of it from the window while he lit the beacon. I saw everything."

He rocked me. "It's over now. They've all been avenged. The Archdemon is long dead, the Darkspawn are being slowly thinned down all the time, and Loghain paid for his abandonment of Cailan and Duncan."

I nodded. "I know. It just doesn't make it easier to watch them die over and over."

He sighed. "I know baby. It'll always haunt you. But look on the bright side, this is only the second time this year."

I gave him a small smile. "True. I...am getting better. Right?"

"It's never going to go away Rykah. I wish I could make you forget it, but I can't. Nothing can. All I can do is keep holding you when it happens." I sighed. "But someday you might stop reliving it in your dreams."

I nodded.

He laid back again, taking me with him.

I curled up to him and he ran his fingers through my hair as his right arm wrapped around my back to trace idle patterns on my hip.

He hummed his favorite lullaby.

The images finally sank away as I listened to him and felt the vibration from his humming through his chest. The tune was always so soothing.

It settled me like nothing else ever had.

Like this was some kind of magic only Zev could use on me.

xXx

When I woke again, Zev was already awake.

He just laid there, absently running his hand over my side.

I started to push up and he let me go to sit up.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"I'm alright. How long have you been awake?"

"Long enough to admire you in your sleep." He teased.

I huffed as I started to get up.

He followed and changed into clean clothes for today.

He picked out some of my nicer things as I went to pull on my usual Warden's outfit.

Plain brown pants and shirt. Under my armor, it never mattered.

Him making me wear this and my nice underthings meant I wasn't allowed to wear my armor today.

But he always made a concession for me to have the daggers in my boots and my swords on my belt crossed behind me.

He knew I never really felt safe without some kind of weapon. With him there, I worried less, but I liked to have my own blades in case anything happened.

"What are we doing today?"

"Breakfast in the Solarium in about twenty minutes, then the three of us are going to go into the market district with Simon's wagon and find some nice clothes for when we are in Denerim again. And it would mean a lot to find a dress that you like. Maybe one like your old wedding dress? You liked that one."

I sighed. "I liked it because you special ordered it from Antiva. It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen and it was silk and you had that tailor come all that way just for me."

"So you really only liked it because I made it special?"

"Well...and it was comfortable. And completely made Anora jealous." I grinned.

He laughed. "We'll find you something. But Rhine does need nice things for court. He won't get away with wearing plain clothes in court much longer. Same with Trina. For now they get dirty, but soon Anora won't let that go on. Trina will be in training soon and they'll be seriously looking at suitors for her in just another year or two."

I sighed. Poor girl. Not allowed to choose for herself.

We finished getting dressed and I settled my swords nicely as he did and we walked out.

Rhine's door was open and I could hear boy laughter from inside.

I went over to look in and saw Rhine showing Simon the knife Zev had given him last year for his birthday.

It wasn't anything really special, but it was a quality silver knife with gold inlay down the blade and on the end of the hilt which was wrapped in a couple layers of linen covered in a couple of gold silk.

It had been made by the master smith of the dwarves in exchange for something Zev had settled out for him.

He had been leery of using silk on the hilt, but Zev had insisted.

Rhine loved it and kept it in the sharpening sheath wrapped with that same gold silk and secured at the bottom and around the top with gold.

In all, even Alistair had said that knife was worth more than his entire set of armor. His usual armor. He had the fancy set he'd worn for his coronation and that was quite priceless considering it had been a gift of peace and prosperity between the two cities.

Simon took it carefully to look at it.

"Father had that specially made for me. There is the seal of the master smith of the dwarves and everything." Rhine grinned.

"I wish we could get things like this." Simon said quietly.

"You don't have a knife?" Rhine asked.

"I...I'm not allowed." Simon said.

"But you're older than me." Rhine frowned.

Simon held the knife back to him.

"It's different." Simon mumbled.

Rhine tilted his head as he wondered what the issue was.

His face lit up when he saw Zev and I in the doorway.

Simon looked almost meek as he stared at the floor.

"Come on boys, Bast is probably nearly done and getting things laid out." Zev said.

Rhine jumped up after putting the knife back in the cushioned box he kept it in.

I was actually surprised he'd brought it. But then, he loved it.

I wondered if he knew he could actually use it?

It wasn't ceremonial. Zev had gotten it special, but it was a working knife.

Simon was careful as he followed Rhine out.

Zev pulled the older boy to a stop.

"Look, it's alright to tell Rhine. He'll understand. He wasn't raised to judge people for their past."

Simon nodded.

I watched him catch up to where Rhine was at the door to the stairs already.

I glanced at the further continuing upward stairs and frowned.

"Why does it keep going up?" I asked.

"For the water storage. Just like back in the Keep. The well is in the center of these stairs and from the top, we can add water to the tank when it hasn't rained in a while."

I nodded.

We walked down to the main floor and I listened as Simon told Rhine why his family lived here and worked for Zev.

True to his nature, Rhine didn't judge them.

Just shrugged it off.

xXx

Breakfast was a wonderful collection of eggs, meats, porridge, fresh chilled milk from the cold cellar, and freshly baked bread.

The boy was a first class chef.

Chloe asked how I was feeling today and I had to explain that I'd been affected by my pregnancy last night.

She seemed genuinely happy for us.

Even Edward congratulated us.

I admired the collection of flowering plants around us and the hanging ivy from the upper balconies.

The wall of windows let in plenty of light and I saw a bit of piping in the ceiling.

Edward explained that it was how everything was watered. He'd made a very intricate bit of piping for this project that would spray the water poured into the funnel on the roof.

It was very impressive.

These designs were very much ahead of their time. Such technology would be either frowned on or lauded.

"So, how would you feel about coming to teach the chefs at our Keep?" I asked Bast.

He looked at me in shock.

"You think I'm good enough to teach someone?"

"So far, your cooking has far outclassed theirs. I've not had anything this good since before my family cook ran off during the attack on my old home. She lost her skill as she got too old to really handle the things. And the two younger elves she'd been so hard on were always too scared to show any skill." I said.

"You had elven slaves?" Chloe asked.

"Not me. Almost all our staff was paid or family to some degree. But she came from a bit of a traditional setting. She did keep two elves pretty much as slaves in the kitchen. Father always made sure she could never mistreat them. Threatening them was the worst she was allowed to do. She always used to threaten my Mabari too."

"She threatened Fen?" Rhine sounded horrified.

"He used to break into the larder and help himself to a sausage or two occasionally." I grinned. "So he did deserve it. But those kids definitely didn't. They died in the attack saving the rest of us. While our cook ran off and was likely killed though I never cared to find out, those two helped save a lot of our people."

"Would your Keep chefs...appreciate an elf teaching them?"

Zev laughed. "The Ferelden Wardens are a bit different. They're made up of all kinds, not just humans like it seems to be here. There are elves, dwarves, a Quinari, and humans. We live, fight, and learn together. In fact, I teach dual weapon fighting to some of the more able recruits and spar with the graduated Wardens when they ask."

I nodded. "Trust me, with your skills, they'll beg you to teach them."

He actually flushed slightly. "Well...I'll have to think on it. I might be gone for a while and I've never left this place before. Antiva has been home forever."

Zev nodded. "Yes. I wasn't much older than you when the Crows sent me on my first mission out of the city. Then another few months and they sent me out of Antiva entirely. It was quite a shock. But I'll never wish I'd stayed."

He took my hand.

"How did you meet Miss Rykah?" Edward asked.

I glanced at Zev and smiled. "He was hired to kill me."

Chloe gasped.

"I failed quite miserably of course." Zev grinned. "In killing either Wardens. King Alistair wanted to kill me on the spot. Rykah offered to remove my employer and give me better incentives to fight on her side."

"And you just quit the Crows? Like that?" Simon snapped his fingers to accentuate his words.

"Well..." Zev started. "Not quite. See, they took offense to me betraying them. Sent my old partner to kill Rykah and the King. When I saw him going to kill her, I didn't even think first. I just acted and stabbed him. We went over the ledge and I killed him when he broke my fall unintentionally."

"You killed your partner?" Edward frowned. "And the Crows didn't send more to kill you?"

Zev laughed. "Oh yes. After Rykah slew the Archdemon, they sent another young elf recruit from House Arainai after us. I woke up to that poor young kid holding a knife at my throat."

I squeezed his hand.

"Jonah was barely fourteen, meant to get under my skin more than anything." Zev said. "I took that knife from him and put him on the floor. Rykah woke up of course and forced me to not kill the poor kid. Said it wasn't his fault. I ordered the Wardens to keep him in the building and always under watch while I came back here to deal with my old House. As you know, I wiped them out." Zev shrugged. "Hard for them to send anyone else after me when even the other Crow Houses won't touch a contract with either of our names on it. And if they even find out the name of their contract is a Ferelden Warden, they'll shred it instead of completing it."

Chloe nodded. "I would too. I mean, you took down the number one House of Crows single handedly."

I frowned. "Number one?"

"Well...they were." Zev grinned. "Before I started fixing that. Now I am technically the head of House Arainai, but the Crows have scratched our name off the lists. We'll never be associated with them again."

"Uncle Jonah was a Crow like you father?" Rhine asked.

"Yes, a long time ago, like me." Zev nodded.

Simon and Bast started to get things cleaned up for us as Zev decided it was time to head out.

We gathered ourselves together and headed out for Zevran's idea of a shopping trip as Chloe saw us off with a small list of things to get while we were out.

xXx

Simon's wagon was bigger than I'd expected, but not overly large.

And it wasn't really a wagon.

It was a very large chest with a lock that his father had put wheels onto.

It was quite nice in fact.

Big enough to probably fit most of our things in altogether. Nearly everything Zev and I owned could likely fit in this thing.

Rhine had a wonderful time riding on top of it while Zev and I pulled it with the rope.

It moved so fluidly it was no wonder Simon could pull it himself.

I wondered if Edward would make something like this for us. Maybe something our Mabari could pull.

Zev first went by the food stalls to collect the fruits Chloe had asked for.

One of them gave us a basket to keep it all in as the five vendors let Zev get first pick of the day before they were really open.

He filled the basket with fresh oranges, apples, and other fruits I'd never seen before. They were very exotic to me.

He explained what they all were to Rhine and several of the vendors even cut a couple pieces up for my son and I to try.

I liked some, not so much on others, Zev made a note on the paper for which ones we liked so Bast would know.

When we finally finished with her list, getting the fruits and a large sack of flour and a smaller one of sugar and some spices, we headed for the crafts.

We wandered around as it started to get busier now that morning had come into full swing.

Zev found two sets of stationary for us that I loved and also got more paper for our letters.

Having a pack of Mabari was great for running notes around the keep and to the palace, but we also had a bird for Zev's exchanges with Chloe.

I had managed to convince the Mages of the Circle learning under Wynne to make up protective collars for my dogs. They were more than happy to.

We continued on, finding the stalls with clothing and fabrics.

Most clothes we were looking for were custom made, so Zev and I stuck to looking through fabrics.

He asked one woman if her mother was still in the business and I realized it was the daughter of the woman who had made my wedding dress.

She looked so much more mature now.

"Yes. Mother is in the shop still, so I come out here by myself now." Caroline said. Katherine had made such a nice dress for me. "She likes it better now, she can work while I sell."

"Good." Zev said. "I've got some work for her if she'd take it."

Caroline smiled widely. "You know we'll always do things for you Arainai."

Zev collected a couple different blocks of cloth that were nice, but still a bit heavy duty. "I'll need her to make some court worthy clothes for a wild child." He motioned to Rhine sitting on the chest.

She nodded and looked at the numbers written on the wooden board the scraps of fabric were wrapped around.

I watched her write them down on a clean paper with Zev's name at the top.

He pulled out some other fabrics from the piles and stacked them up. "Also a couple new sets for me since mine are a bit old and starting to wear."

She nodded and wrote the numbers down.

I ran my hands over some of the fabrics as he was talking and set aside some of the boards I liked the feel of.

Zev took my stack of collected boards. "Also, see if Katherine can get more of this material, but other patterns and make some nice loose pants, with wide legs that as long as my wife isn't running around will fool people into thinking she's actually wearing a skirt. And have her pick some shirt patterns to go with those, loose, but covering and modest." Zev said.

Caroline frowned. "No skirts?"

Zev shook his head. "Baby steps. Rykah likes her pants. She's a Warden remember. But also, some of the nicest, softest fabric your mother can find, and make a dress she'll be comfortable in. I'll get us by the shop later for our measurements and she can get a feel for Rykah's tastes."

Caoline nodded. "I'll get this list sent to her immediately."

Zev nodded and she hugged him and me as we left.

Even Rhine didn't shy away as much as normal as she ruffled him up while stating how adorable he was.

We were barely away from her stall when she flagged down one of the city runners passing through and passed off her message and a coin.

The kid hurried off on his deliveries.

It was common enough back in Denerim to see message runners, but I'd never seen one so young.

Zev leaned in. "He's a recruit for a Crow House. It's fairly known around Antiva that until we are assigned as full Crows, they're glorified errand runners. I did message running around Antiva from the time they took me in until I was twelve."

I nodded.

"It's how we all learned the secrets of the city. It trains a young recruit how to run fast, know shortcuts, and be stealthy."

We continued through some of the other craft stalls.

I found a wonderful statue of a Mabari made from fine clay. It was painted so much like Fen.

I absently picked it up and brushed my fingers over the eyes that looked so much like Fen's intelligent gaze.

"Lovely isn't it? Normally I don't do Mabari things, but my son insisted on making it and my daughter painted it. It's hollow inside to hold trinkets and such." The older man said.

I almost jolted and Zev's steady hand as he took it from me casually was the only reason I didn't drop it.

"Looks like Fenrir." Zev said softly.

I nodded. "I was thinking we could put his ashes in there instead of that jar." I said.

"You had a Mabari burned in ceremony? You must be from Ferelden." The old man said.

I gave him nod and a sad smile. "He was more than just our pet. He was my partner in the Blight and he died a hero's death."

"You were in the war?" The old man frowned.

"Warden Commander." I nodded. "Fenrir was one of the Heroes of Ferelden. He saved my son from a Darkspawn attack a few years ago and died from his wounds. We just had to honor him properly."

The old man nodded. "Yes, I heard about your little band. That dog was a warrior of his own right if the stories are right."

I nodded. "He was such a smart creature, brave and loyal."

"Dear, you can have that statue. If the ashes of a hero are to go in them, then I must honor one of the ones who ended the Blight."

I shook my head. "Your kids worked hard on it." I pushed a few coins into his hand. Not as much as he was probably going to sell it for, but more than enough to cover the costs his children had spent making it.

"Thank you." He said. He went to grab a piece of cloth to wrap it in and Zev carefully settled it in the chest inside the box we'd had our stationary in. Just a bit of rearranging.

We continued on and I reached to hold Zev's hand.

He laced his fingers with mine.

"It'll be nice for Fen. Something to always remember him by."

I looked back at Rhine. "We do have something even more important."

Rhine grinned at us.

Even he knew that without Fen, he'd have been dead in that fight. It was why his death hurt Rhine so much.

He had stayed by Fen's side the entire time, very carefully petting and feeding him. But even Wynne hadn't been able to heal that damage. She said no one had gotten to him in time.

But at least with Zev's potions he hadn't suffered while we tried to nurse him back.

He was old though. He was over halfway done with his life when we went into our fight with the Archdemon. I'd known he'd only have a few more years after that. All the fighting had worn him down.

Wardogs were excellent in battle, but they didn't live long fighting.

At least he'd had wonderful pups.

"Hey, need some new blades?" I heard someone call out.

Zev turned as a weapon vendor hurried out to catch us before we passed.

"What?" I frowned.

"Those dull blades either need a lot of work, or you need some new ones." The young man said.

Zev laughed. "These aren't dull." He pulled his from its sheath and took a nicked up paper from the table holding other swords.

The man frowned. "Look pretty rusted up to me."

I smiled as Zev cut clean through the paper as if it wasn't there.

The man looked shocked.

"It's a trick of the eye. No one steals a blade that looks like this, but these aren't dull. They just look really rusted because of how they were made and the material."

The man nodded. "Well, need armors?"

"I'm sure you mean well and this is your job, but unless you can top the master smith of the dwarves, I'm not sure anyone could do better than what we have." I said.

"Wait, the master smith still forges? I heard he quit." The young man looked confused.

"He is retired." Zev said. "Except for when we come by. Warden Commander of Ferelden is given a bit of a special treatment when it comes to her gear. I just get lucky enough to be married to her."

I smiled.

"You're...Rykah Arainai-Cousland?" The man stepped back. "I'm so sorry for bothering you."

"It's nothing. You're doing your job and our weapons are deceptive."

He still apologized again as we continued on, now heading for home to drop off our things.

xXx

Simon helped us carry our things in and took the basket of fruits and the bags or flour and salt to the kitchen for Bast to take care of. Rhine carried the large box of spices behind him.

Zev and I brought our other purchases upstairs.

We found Edward in Rhine's room, tending the fire.

"Can you make another thing like Simon's chest?" Zev asked.

"Of course. I'll need to go out and get the materials, and go to my brothers forge, but I can make something better than that old thing for you." He said as he stood up.

We followed him to our room where he tended that fire.

"We're looking for something about as long as I am tall and half as wide with a bar off the front to be able to harness a couple Mabari to it."

"A kind of wagon type thing then? Able to hold people?"

"Not normally. Maybe an injured if we're out training, but it would make it infinitely easier to do field training if we had the ability to actually bring more gear." I said.

Edward nodded as he put another two logs on our fire stacked up carefully to burn slow.

"You can't find a wagon like that in Ferelden, can you?" He asked.

"Not dog sized, no. Horses mostly, and those are just too big to be practical for Mabari." I said. "We don't tend to use horses, considering how small Ferelden is."

"Alright, I'll make up a design while I finish these fires, then head out to collect the materials." He said. I handed him my purse.

"Since I'm asking for something special." I said.

He looked hesitant for a moment and glanced at Zev.

"Really, we'll cover the materials if you can build it. Best and strongest you can make. Metal if you want, but it'll still need to be light enough for four Mabari to pull it." Zev said.

Edward took my purse and tucked it in his pocket. "Alright." He sighed. "It'll be the best I've ever made."

I smiled.

It was going to be great. Better if we had it in time to leave. Then we could take it back with us.

We headed down to collect Rhine from the kitchen where Bast had made up some meat stuffed buns with melted cheese in them.

"Better than Wynne's." Zev said as he burned his tongue on one.

I laughed as he made a pained expression.

But they were good.

He had also used some of the lemons he'd already had to make lemon water. Not quite lemonade like Anora had once gotten made up for a court meeting, but with a bit of sugar, it was sweet enough, but still water.

I actually liked it better.

He filtered the lemon juice after completely crushing the lemon half with what looked like a vice used by smiths to sharpen weapons.

He'd flushed a bit when I asked and said his uncle broke it. It didn't actually stay locked. However, it worked for crushing fruit.

He had used a fine cloth to keep the pulp out of our water and I watched him set aside the pulp.

"What are you going to do with that?" Rhine asked.

"Pull the seeds out, turn it into paste, add in a few other things, and make a pie." Bast said.

"Really, please come teach our cooks. And the palace cooks." I said. "They need new recipes."

"Absolutely. The dough for this bun is perfect." Zev said.

"I made it up myself." Bast rubbed his neck in embarrassment.

"Just think about it, alright?"

The boy nodded.

We collected a few more buns from the batch after finishing our drinks and the three of us headed out again.

xXx

Zev took a detour by the Antivan palace and the guards let us in the side entrance.

I caught a glimpse of the Dragon harassing the city.

He was bigger than Rose by half. Definitely a male High Dragon.

She had explained that males unmated were hostile if their territory was threatened by another male.

Something about having the best territory to woo a female.

But mated males were more docile unless their mates or offspring were threatened.

I looked at this male.

His golden scales were beautiful.

He was laid out half in the stables, half out.

I could see the remains of a cow carcass by the doors of the stables.

Someone had tried to placate him with food. It was probably what kept him from really terrorizing the city.

I looked at the young guard. "Who brought the cow?"

"That would have been me. We've been sacrificing a cow every day for the past week in the hopes that he'll not wreak havoc in the city. It seems to be working. He snarls at us, and snaps, but he hasn't attacked anymore."

"You're going about this wrong." I said. "Killing the cows here is only going to encourage him to stay around. And a violent male in the city will not do well if another Dragon flies by." I said.

"We'll handle this though." Zev told him. "We've learned from a Dragon how to handle them."

The man nodded.

He showed us back out and we headed for the shop Kathrine worked.

Zev pushed the door open and led us in.

"Katherine?"

"Zevran Arainai, how wonderful to see you again."

The older woman came from the back of the shop as I saw a familiar stack of fabric wrapped pieces of wood on the counter.

There were stacks lining the wall, all different kinds and all textures.

I could see she had one sectioned labeled as stuff she got on a regular basis and another labeled as on demand. Those were the more expensive fabrics that had to be special made. Like my wedding dress fabric.

"And it's very nice to see you again, Miss Arainai." She smiled at me as she came to hug me.

She looked down and Rhine as he partially hid behind his father in his shyness.

"So this is your son?" She looked at Zev. "Never imagined you having children. Of course, I never imagined you getting married either."

"I never thought you would, so I think we're even." Zev grinned.

"How very true." She gave a toothy grin in return.

I finally pegged why Zev acted so familiar to her.

She'd been there when he was growing up.

She was a former prostitute. One of her clients must have offered her marriage and she'd taken it.

That explained why she had been willing to come to Denerim to make my dress.

To her, Zev was probably still like family.

"Well, come on back." She motioned to follow and we did.

As Zev stepped through the curtain behind me, I heard him pull his swords free from his belt.

He set them on the table and I watched Katherine pull out a tape.

I set my swords beside him.

"So, Caroline says you want some new things for court back home?"

"Yes." Zev nodded as she started taking measurements and writing on a piece of paper she had pulled out of a drawer.

It already had marks and his name and I realized she'd kept our previous measurements.

"Have you been eating well?" She asked.

"Most of the time." Zev said wryly. We both knew he had a fondness for Antivan brandy and sweets.

"Liar." She huffed a laugh. "You're thinner than before."

Zev sighed. "I haven't been eating well lately due to constant traveling between the Keep and the palace. So I've been missing meals."

"You need to start eating when you travel Zevran. I'll use the old measurements, but if anything stays too loose, you need to get it taken in."

He nodded.

Hopefully Bastian would come teach our cooks. His ideas were quite astounding. I enjoyed most everything I ate, except the spicy sausage this morning. I had been glad he had made up different kinds.

When she finished, she motioned for me to stand where Zev had been and she pulled my sheet out.

"Caro says you're wanting something I don't normally do." She said.

"I'm fine with normal pants and blouses, really."

"No, no, this will be a good thing. I've been thinking up a good pattern since I got that sheet. I want to try it. Perhaps even make the pants with a drawstring to help them feel a bit more skirt like."

"That should do nicely." Zev said. "That way when she gets bigger, they'll still fit."

"Bigger?"

"We're having another baby." Zev grinned.

"About damn time. Unless you've had more since little Rhine there?"

"No." I sighed. "This will be our second child."

"It's not easy to have kids so far apart in age." She said.

She finished measuring me. "The shirts will be quite loose as well. Flowing, light, and best of all, fit when you're further along easily and comfortably. Do you have a proper cloak for wintertime in court? Or at home for that matter?"

I shook my head. My usual jacket wouldn't work much longer. I'd been lucky Rhine was a fall baby. During the prior winter, I'd still fit my jacket, as it warmed up, I got bigger and didn't need my jacket. He'd been born the first day of snow.

This baby was looking to be a winter baby.

I'd be too big for my jacket or my armor by then.

Zev would likely restrict me to the Keep anyway, but I'd need to get off the field soon too.

With Rhine, I'd left the fighting behind and begun just teaching and leading.

With a new baby, I'd have to not be fighting again for a while.

Katherine looked up at me.

"It's alright dear. Your life is just getting shifted again. I'll make you a very nice cloak for travel and for court. I'm working on a kind of reversible pattern if you want to test it for me. I can do travel duty on one side, court approved on the other."

I blinked away the tears that I hadn't noticed forming. "No, one color on one side, one on the other, but both travel. The court is used to me not being standard. I'd hate to change too much too quickly." I smiled.

"There's the tough Warden." She shooed me off and Zev pulled me close.

Rhine hugged to me and I wrapped my arm around his thin shoulders.

"Don't worry, Katherine is nice." I said to him.

"I know. But you look sad mother." He said.

"I'm just going to have to make changes." I sighed as I urged him towards her.

She pulled out a blank sheet of paper and quickly drew up a body sketch on it. Not specific to his kid size of course, but something where she could mark measurements.

Zev held me and leaned back against the table.

"Thinking about having to give up your field training and fighting again?" He asked quietly.

I nodded. "I had a hard time adjusting when Rhine was born, but I'll manage."

"It'll be easier this time. Rhine will be ten and he can finally help you manage the recruits at the Keep while I take care if field training with the others."

I sighed. "But I'll miss the fun." I said.

He laughed. "Bloodthirsty little Warden."

I grinned. He always teased me about fighting while being so soft on people. I was brutal, but never killing.

"See, easy." Katherine said. "I'll have these done up as soon as possible once that young kid finishes fixing my new machine."

I frowned at her. "Machine?"

"Yes. One of the weavers kids is a right genius when it came to making it easier to make fabric. Before, they hand did everything. Then that kid built a contraption to make it easier on his parents. The thing is marvelous. The fabric it produces is only a little bit worse off than by hand, but it's worth the ease to have to deal with snags. Snags we can fix or cut around, not having to wait three weeks for what that thing can help them get done in days is worth snags." She said. "But anyway, his parents come by for their clothes, and he finally came up with a little hand cranked contraption that sews much faster than by hand, and he came by to fix the broken needle for me."

"Sounds impressive." Zev said.

"It is." She grinned. "I get Caroline to crank while I move the fabric. We have it down perfect in the past year. And while she is out at the stall displaying our everyday fabrics, I cut for patterns and pin. It works perfectly."

"I'm glad." I said.

"Now, you guys go on, I want to run up a test pattern for these new clothes for you. Normally I don't do anything short of variations on my few patterns, but for this I need a whole new set of patterns. You might very well start a new fashion Warden."

I nodded.

Maybe.

Zev and I collected our swords and he led us back out and we walked back towards the house.

Seems like plenty of things were being invented.

The world was always changing slightly.

New techniques for crafting arts were always being discovered every so often.

If that kid were a dwarf, he might get considered a Paragon.

xXx

We left Rhine at the house and Zev and I put our armor on after changing.

Dealing with this Dragon was a real important issue.

As we walked towards the Warden estate we plotted how to approach it.

It was going to be a bit difficult, considering it had been gorging here on cows.

Their thoughts were good, but a little counterproductive to us.

The Warden estate was quite impressive as we came in sight of it.

Not like our Keep of course, more like the noble houses in Denerim.

A lot like Eamon's actually.

But built in the fashion of Antiva.

The two guards at the gate moved to stop us until I gave them that Commander look I'd perfected over the years.

Never worked on Zev, but even Alistair had admitted to a twinge of feeling like mud when I had to look at him like that.

And it always made me feel good knowing that even the King was affected.

They let us in and I pushed the door open.

Technically, Zev wasn't allowed past the main hall, but as Tabarin came out to meet us, he led us back to his office.

I had to admit, he did have a nice office.

"Welcome. Have you seen that Dragon yet? Scary isn't it?"

"He's quite the sight." I nodded.

"He?" Tabarin frowned.

Zev moved to sit in the chair in front of the desk.

"You're dealing with an unmated male. He's going to be much harder to handle than we had anticipated due to the fact that the guards have been feeding him." Zev said. "But we've got a working plan."

"You're sure that you can remove it? We won't have to try and kill it?"

"You couldn't anyway. This Dragon would give the Archdemon a hassle." I said as I shook my head. "High Dragons fear nothing. The Darkspawn run from them and the Archdemon likely would have gone back to its burrow had Rose showed her face to it."

He sighed. "Well then...how can we help?"

"We're wanting to see if you can make sure the area around the palace is clear in case he decides to fight." I said.

He nodded. "When are you planning to move?"

"As soon as the area is clear, so the faster you can get that done the better." Zev said.

I watched Zev get up and we headed back out.

Tabarin gathered the Wardens and issued the orders.

Zev and I started to head for the house to make sure we were fully prepared.

If he got hostile towards us, we were running. I wasn't going to risk losing Zev.

xXx

As we stood in the entry of the house, Zev pulled me close.

"Please be careful Rykah. If there is any sign this is failing, then run. I don't want you or the baby hurt."

"I know. We'll all run. The guards and the Wardens here can be our decoys. I won't be having this baby without you."

He laughed. "Yes." He leaned in to kiss me. "I won't stay and fight it."

We stayed close for another moment and I felt at ease.

It was a minute before we finally opened the doors to leave.

We walked to the palace seeing the Wardens keeping the streets mostly blocked off.

I was nearly startled when a kid of maybe seven ran up to us.

"The Master is asking why this section is being cleared." He said.

"We're removing the High Dragon. Hopefully." Zev said.

And just like that, the kid vanished into an alley again.

I sighed as we came to the gate again.

Zev leaned in towards me.

"Are you sure you're ready?" He asked.

I nodded.

The guard pushed the gate open enough for us to get in.

The Dragon didn't even move.

It kept a lazy eye on the humans surrounding it at a distance.

I took a deep breath as Zev and I stepped closer.

I felt a little scared as it opened both eyes towards us now.

Zev saw the slight agitation sign before I did and stopped.

He urged me to keep going with a soft touch on my back.

The dragon shifted slightly as I came closer.

It had been able to scent the Dragon blood in Zev and knew he was a male.

I eased in closer as the Dragon relaxed slightly again.

I was just in striking distance from him now.

I reached for all the knowledge Rose had given me.

It was harder to communicate with a Dragon I didn't have a bond to.

But he seemed to understand at least as I spoke along the telepathic line between all Dragons.

It startled him at first, to hear a human talking to him.

I explained that this city wanted him to leave them alone.

He rumbled a growl but I offered him our lands in exchange. He could live there like Rose, if she accepted him. Otherwise there were plenty of places in Ferelden that he could live more than comfortably.

His body stayed relaxed as he thought.

I stepped back as he stared at me deeper.

"You have a blood bond with my kind?"

I nodded. I hadn't expected him to speak, even telepathically, to me.

"And that elf in your gear is yours?"

"My mate." I used his terms.

He made a contented rumble.

"So long as I am acknowledged as the highest male in this land you offer me, I will leave."

"Zevran won't challenge you, but he and I are the leaders of the Keep. You will always be the strongest male on our lands."

He seemed to think. "I shall bow to no one, but I'll accept equal footing."

I nodded. That was acceptable for me.

I stumbled back and nearly tripped over an uneven stone as the Dragon started to get up.

Zev was at my side instantly, making sure I stayed upright.

"Very good. An acceptable male. A true male cares for his mated female completely. We shall get along well enough."

Zev and I moved out of the way as he came out of the stables.

"My name is Gould." He looked at us both before spreading his wings.

The other Wardens stumbled back as the powerful sweep of his wings kicked up a gust.

By the time I opened my eyes again, he was a speck in the sky.

He shot off in the direction of Ferelden. I let go of the breath I'd been holding.

My legs suddenly gave out from under me and Zev scooped me up.

"Maker that was terrifying." I said quietly as I leaned into him.

Tabarin came towards us as I tried to stop myself from shaking.

"Is it gone? For good?"

I nodded.

"He's headed for home?" Zev asked me.

"They'll be shocked to see him." I nodded.

Zev laughed. "Yes, very much so."

"We won't have to worry about it again?"

"I hope not." I said.

"Now, if you don't mind, we'll be heading home now." Zev said.

He carried me back out of the palace area.

I wasn't sure I could stand yet.

The strength had left my body at the relief that I was safe.

Zev carried me home.

xXx

When we came in the front doors, Chloe looked worried as she saw Zev carrying me.

I was so exhausted from the mental terror and tension in my body.

I worried for our baby. Stress was hard on me, I didn't want to inflict it on our next child this early.

Rhine came to us as Zev carried me towards the stairs.

"Is mother okay?" Rhine asked.

"Yes, just tired. Lets get her to bed so she can rest, alright?"

Rhine nodded and opened the doors for us.

I finally found the strength to stand as Zev put me on my feet in our room.

He looked at Rhine. "Go on and help the other boys."

Our son nodded and hurried off after hugging me.

When the door closed, I wanted to collapse onto the couch behind me.

Zev urged me towards our bed as he helped me shed my armor.

Then he tugged off my clothes and pulled my nightshirt on me.

I watched him pull his armor off and reached out to pull on the hem of his shirt.

"Not right now baby. I need to see what's going on. I think dinner is mostly getting started."

"Then we have time." I pushed the hem of his shirt up enough to spread both hands over his still tightly muscled stomach.

He rumbled a laugh as he pulled me close, trapping my hands from roaming.

"Not for me. Rest my love. I'll lay here with you until you fall asleep. I can see it pulling you. I know it strains you to talk to Dragons like that. It gives me headaches for days. And I want you well." He tugged me to lay on the bed and tucked me in, laying on the top of all the blankets, but still holding me.

I sighed as his words were true.

I was tired.

Honestly, it didn't take long at all for me to fall asleep as he hummed a lullaby.

xXx

He brought me dinner and desert on a tray and we sat in bed as we ate.

"Thank you for making me rest." I said.

"You need it baby. And if there is anything I'll always do, it's look after you."

I sighed and leaned into him after he set the tray away.

"You spoil me Zev."

He grinned. "Always. As long as I can."


End file.
